To have another language is to possess a second soul.

- Charlemagne

8.0 - Overview

Cognition and Language

Psychological Words to Live By and Those Who Said them

Cognitive science (kòg´nî-tîv sÌ´ens). Noun. "The study of the nature of various mental tasks and the processes that enable them to be performed."

"There can be no knowledge without emotion. We may be aware of a truth, yet until we have felt its force, it is not ours. To the cognition of the brain must be added the experience of the soul. [Arnold Bennett (1867--1931), British novelist. The Journals of Arnold Bennett (1932); entry of March 18, 1897.].

"Never seem wiser, nor more learned, than the people you are with. Wear your learning, like your watch, in a private pocket: and do not merely pull it out and strike it; merely to show that you have one." [Lord Chesterfield (1694--1773), English statesman, man of letters. Letter, 22 Feb. 1748. First published in 1774; reprinted. in The Letters of the Earl of Chesterfield to His Son, Vol. 1, #142 and edited by Charles Strachey, 1901.].

"Thinking isn't agreeing or disagreeing. That's voting!" [Robert Frost (1874--1963), U.S. poet. Interview in Writers at Work (Second Series), edited by George Plimpton, 1963.].

Assignment Overview

The purpose of Homework Assignment #8 is to provide you with an appreciation of the importance of "Cognitive Processes" and also provide you "hands on experience" in learning some of the important dynamics of cognitive psychology and its processes as it pertains specifically to psychology.

As this is the halfway mark for this "Online" course, I would be most appreciative, if you would fill out the following "Student Feedback" form. Thank you.

Caution - Please keep in mind, that while minimum length is suggested for each task assignment, a length of several times the minimum is generally necessary to obtain good to exceptional grades. Always be sure to weave in solid scholarship, as evidenced from the text and website readings, and be certain to "compare and contrast" what you have learned. This will help to assure me that you in fact are learning each week. Thank you.

8.1 - The Crash Course in Psychology Lecture Series

The CrashCourse educational video series was launched in January, 2012 by Hank and John Green. It was an original series that was part of the YouTube-funded channels. In the beginning Google provided funding. Later "crowdfunding" was used. And more recently CrashCourse announced a partnership with PBS Digital Studios. There are over 40 video segments that address an array of topics and chapters found in most high-end and popular Introduction to Psychology textbooks. You will find a relevant CrashCourse segment (10 to 15 minutes each) throughout this 15 module Introduction to Psychology course. Enjoy!

Topic #15: Cognition: How Your Mind Can Amaze and Betray You!

In this video lecture we explore thinking & communication, solving problems, creating problems, and a few ideas about what our brains are doing up there.

Topic #16: Language

This video lecture examines our amazing human world of language. You know what’s amazing? That we can talk to people, and they can make meaning out of it, and then talk back to us. Language is all about how our brains do this thing called Language. Plus, there's monkeys too!

Topic #18: The Growth of Knowledge

How does our knowledge grow? It turns out there are some different ideas about that. Schemas, Four-Stage Theory of Cognitive Development, and Vygotsky’s Theory of Scaffolding all play different roles but the basic idea is that children think about things very differently than adults. All explained in this video lecture.

8.2 - Using The Internet To Conduct Psych Research

The Language of "Telling The Truth"

Task: In this exercise you are to show how cognitive processes, more specifically, language, is used to deceive others. Specifically your task is to find out about "polygraphs," more commonly called "Lie Detectors!"

Requirements: In thoughtful writing, explain the "truth about lie detectors." How accurate are they? In what ways are they useful? May they be used in court criminal cases? While you may use links and sources other than those provided below, you must cite information primarily from the following two links.

Human Language & Linguistics - Lie Detectors and Polygraphs

8.3 - Psychology Based Websites

Using Internet Tools To Learn About Sexuality

Task: For the following psychology oriented Website, report back what you learned from exploring any one of the many categories listed. Explain in tightly worded writing, what you learned and what your reactions were. Each homework assignment you get to choose a different sexuality site to discuss.

Professor's Favorite Section: At the Kinsey Institute's website is a section called FAQs & Sex" Information. Here you will find listed an assortment of topics. Chose one and click on the topic. Basic information is provided as well as an expandable link to further information. During this course, choose a different topics for your module discussions. Enjoy!

Kinsey Institute - Sexuality Link. [Home Page]

8.3a - The Discovering Psychology Film Series

Modules #6 & #10: "Language Development" & "Cognitive Processes"

Task: After reviewing these film modules, report back what you learned. Explain in a clear, concise, and tightly worded reaction report.

Overview: The following link is a a video instructional series for teaching Introduction to Psychology for college students. This 26 half-hour video program series covers the major aspects of the typical Introduction to Psychology undergraduate college course.

Highlighting major new developments in the Psychology, this updated edition of Discovering Psychology film series offers college students an overview of historic and current theories of human behavior. Stanford University professor and author Philip Zimbardo narrates as leading researchers, practitioners, and theorists probe the mysteries of the mind and body. Based on extensive investigation and authoritative scholarship, this introductory course in psychology features demonstrations, classic experiments and simulations, current research, documentary footage, and computer animation.

Directions for using the "Discovering Psychology" link.

When you arrive at the website, you will first need to "sign up." Do so, following the directions carefully. Once "enrolled," click on the appropriate program icon [as directed by your professor]. When the "movie cue" pops up, double click on it or click on the start cue arrow. Enjoy the video, take notes, and "learn!"

Click on the links that follow (or below). They are Module #6 entitled Language Development and Module #10 entitled Cognitive Processes. Please note that it may take several seconds to load these "steaming videos," so be patient. You'll get the "hang" of it.

Discovering Psychology Series - Table of Contents

8.4 - Reading Assignment - Chapter 7

"Cognition: Thinking and Language"

Textbook: Textbook: Psychology5: Introductory Psychology by Spencer A. Rathus (Cengage Publishers, 2018). ISBN-978-1-305-66267-4. This is the hard copy, which I'd prefer that ALL students secure.

This book may all be purchased at the SRJC campus bookstore AND online. The online link is: http://www.santarosa.edu/bookstore/

Task: Module #12 Textbook Reading Assignment - Chapter 7: "Thinking, Language, and "Intelligence." [Note: This chapter is assigned again later (Module #12) for study. Review aspects of this chapter that specifically deal here with "Cognition, Thinking, and Language."]

8.5 - Head Candy - Online Mental Gymnastics

Psychological Tests, Quizzes, and Self-Help Inventories

Overview: Over the years, I've found that students love taking psychological mental tests, quizzes, and self-help personality inventories, especially those online that provide nearly instant feedback after completing. While few are truly scientifically based "psychological instruments," complete with "reliability and validity" standards, they nonetheless provide us with helpful and often substantial insights into who we are. So with that caveat made, this section is devoted to mental tests, or head games, if you will.

Task: The Self-Esteem Test measures your present level of self-esteem, and provides a method for measuring your progress towards building high self-esteem. For your test to be valid, you must answer honestly all "statements about your beliefs about you" completely. It is critical that your responses to these statements be accurate according to how you actually behave or feel, rather than how you think you "should" behave or feel. I found the test quite intriguing.

Please note you will have to register with the Queendom Testing site first. But I think it is worth it. Their monthly newsletter is commercial, but still quite useful. At least it is free.

Provide a written reaction paper regarding what you learned from this exercise. Be sure to consider how valid and reliable you believe the test to be from a scientific point of view.

For purposes of disability and accessibility the following link is optional.

The Self-Esteem Test (Optional)

8.6 - "PsychAide" Readings & Activities

Learning Through "Hands-On" Doing

The "PsychAide" is organized by weekly modules, beginning with "Week 1."

The PsychAide workbook is loaded with readings, exercises, and acitivities that will enhance your learning of psychology.

It is important to remember that certain assignments will be required from the PsychAide, therefore, always review each week's PsychAide module carefully.

Task: Review PsychAide Module #9 - Cognition and Language

8.7 - Course Discussion Board

Module #8 - Thought Provoking Question (TPQ) or Article

Overview: The purpose of a course discussion board is to allow students and professor an opportunity to interact about topics of common interest. A discussion board is also a fine tool to share commonly asked questions, answers, and concerns.

You are urged to use the discussion board, when you have questions that you think others may wish to know; when you have technical questions or answers that others may wish to know, and to share other useful tidbits with each other. I want each of you to become familiar with the message board system.

Once you have composed your thoughts and written them down in a word application program [i.e., Microsoft word] --- with grammar and spell check---you follow through with posting (copy and pasting) them. Remember, to be sure you also post your comments in the appropriate place in the task boxes that links later in this assignment. You only do this if you are also submitting this ENTIRE assignment as one of your required four online assignments for this course.

Task: In each class module, there will be one thought-provoking course related question or article for which discussion is expected from students. While not always directly related to assigned readings, they have important course-wide implications. You are expected to respond to each TPQ by the end of each class module's deadline Be sure to place the question/article module number (#) in the "subject line" so your classmates will know which module topic you are addressing.

Since there is only one "thought-provoking question or article " (TPQ) due per module during the regular semester, a minimum response of 250 to 500 words is required for each message board TPQ posting. Also, students need to post a TPQ for EACH of the 15 online assignments.

This Assignment's Thought Provoking Question (TPQ) or Article

The following link is a graded assignment for the TPQ. (1) Click on the link below, (2) read the TPQ or article, and then (3) respond in the student posting area provided at the end of the article.

Thought Provoking Question #8

8.8 - Assignment #8 Responses

Composing Your Responses To Module #8 (Helpful Directions)

Overview - For each course module there is a major homework assignment that must be completed; usually weekly. Each of these module homework assignments has several tasks. Some entail reading, some include exploring and reviewing websites, reviewing lecture videos, and still others involve written tasks --- work that must be submitted for review and/or grading.

Responses to weekly modules (and the "tasks" within) must be submitted on time or you will either fail the assignment or be severely penalized. Late homework assignments are perceived as both a student who is "absent from class" and "late with work." Please always maintain a backup copy of all your written work. Glitches occur in online technology-based education, but ultimately it is your responsibility to maintain adequate backup of all work submitted. You are also encouraged to compose your work within a word-processing application and then "copy and paste" into the "Blue Book" section at the end of each module. This is so you may avail yourself of spell and grammar check options provided in most modern word processing software.

Please be aware that all submissions are automatically received in the course "grades" section where they will be evaluated by your professor for acceptance, grading, rejection, or acceptance with penalty. So make sure your work is received promptly. Much the same way that attendance is determined by you presence in the traditional classroom at the regularly scheduled class time, so too is attendance determined by your prompt submission of assignments while enrolled in an online course. Furthermore, arriving to class without homework or with incomplete homework is also perceived in the same manner with an online course. Accordingly, you are encouraged to submit you weekly work prior to deadlines, to avoid computer glitches, "downtime," and other "technological spills and inconveniences."

Directions - Each numbered module task should be addressed in the "Blue Book" (response) section of each module.

Be sure to follow directions carefully and precisely when completing each task. "A word to the wise!" Minimal work receives a minimal grade. For example, if a task asks that you provide a written paragraph or two, and you provide just that, then you have provided only minimal work. Simply said, minimal work is "C" work. Well thought out writing that exceeds both excellence and minimal length (word count) and quality requirements is, generally speaking, graded higher and indicative of a "good and solidly motivated student." However length in of itself does not assure quality either, so learn to strike a balance. Good luck!

Particulars - Remember this assignment is due by a certain date or will be penalized. Overly late assignments may NOT be accepted at all. The discretion of the professor rules in all such matters. Was your assignment "Online and Ontime?" Before beginning each weekly module assignment be sure you understand the word count and quality requirements --- 500 to 750 words --- depending on grade desired. See Grading Policy in Course Basics at the Course Syllabus for further information on modules.

ALL students are responsible for completing ALL 15 modules and having a moderate understanding of each. Don't cheat yourself out of a good education.

Module Assignment #8 - Graded Responses Go Here!

Assignment Feedback Form - Hybrid Psych 1A (Module #8)

Dr. J. Davis Mannino - Revised Fall, 2018 (8/24/18)