Instructor: Dr. Rochel Gelman

A137, Psych Addition, Busch
Phone - 5-6154; email –rgelman@ruccs.rutgers.edu

General Description.
This course will focus on the nature and development of concepts. Students will read a combination of original papers and text materials. These will cover the classical theory of adult concepts and the relationship of this account to traditional theories of cognitive development; and empirical findings—including ones about infancy as well as older children and adults.

Class Requirements:
Readings.
There are two kinds of readings: (1) The textbook; and (2) reprints of original articles. Some of these are included within the text. Others will be reproduced. There will be no readings other than those in the text for the first two weeks or so. Detailed bibliographic information will be posted in Version 2 of the Syllabus.

Evaluation.
Grades will be based on two midterms - short essay questions (20% each), a writing project (20%), class participation (15%), and a final exam (25%). Study questions will be provided about a week before the midterm/final. Dates will be arranged after the first day of class.
Writing Assignment; Details to follow

Format of Classes:
This is a seminar and will be run as one. When I think you will benefit from a short (or occasional long) lecture, I will give one, but this will not be a lecture course. To facilitate your real participation in the seminar, I will ask teams of you to take the lead in starting the class. I do mean, “start”. You do not have to prepare a long, formal presentation. Instead, you should be thinking about the issues that covered in the readings and what you know that might be related, depending on your own expertise. The teams will be able to use what each of you post on the website. In addition, I will be available to confer with them – either via email or in person, Wednesday morning.

Policy Items.
NOTE: What follows may not be necessary for Rutgers students. If so, I do apologize. Do understand that this is the first undergraduate course I am teaching since moving to Rutgers from UCLA.

(a) There will not be a makeup for either the midterm or final;
(b) I will re-read and re-grade the midterm, writing assignment or final exam in response to an inquiry about your score. Grades can move either up or down.
(c) Late papers will be graded down a point per day.
(d) I assume that everyone will do his or her own work and that no one will cheat or plagiarize.
(e) Requests to do additional work to boost grades will not be considered.

Web Page.
All students should login to the cite for the course and send a test message. If you fail to get on, send me email.

Class Grading: See Class Requirements.

Reading Requirements.
Text:
Goswami, U. (1998). Cognition in Children. Psychology Press: Hove, England.
Available at NJ Books 108 Somerset St. New Brunswick

Original Articles.
These will match the topics. I have delayed in selecting the papers because I thought I should find out about the interests and backgrounds of members of the seminar.

Topics.
1. Introduction to the adult cognition literature on concepts and related issues.

2. Big issues in animal cognition and cognitive developments.
i .Domain-specific vs. domain-general theories.
ii. Stages of cognitive development?
- Classical theories
- Alternative theories
o Domain-specific and knowledge-based accounts.

3. What we can learn from infants and animals (and disorders)?

4. The relationship between these different theories to theories of cognitive development and accounts of the loss of function.

5. Consideration of various domains that appear universal.
i. Physical objects
ii. Social objects and scripts
iii. The relationship of causal principles to i. and ii.
iv. Number
v. Space

6. On the Novice- Expert Distinction.
i. Examples in adults, including flexible and frozen experts.
ii. Examples of children as experts

7. Consideration of learning theories with respect to the evidence.
i. “Learning Theory” – traditional view
ii. “Learning Theory”- alternative views
iii. On the nature of supporting environments for learning.
- Analogical reasoning, and other structure relevant learning tools

8. Language as the cause of human cognition.

9. Special topics, as determined in class.