PSYCO 403/505: Cognitive Neuroscience of Attention

PSYCO 403/505: Cognitive Neuroscience of Attention University of Alberta

Winter 2020

Fridays 9am – 11:50am BS G-114

Instructor:

Dr. Dana A. Hayward

* I prefer to be addressed as Professor or Dr. Hayward

Office:

BS P-241

E-mail:

[email protected]

Office Hours:

Tuesdays 9:30-10:30am, or by appointment

Course Description:

Discussion of advanced concepts and theories developed by selected fields within experimental psychology. The course will examine the relation between theory and data in these fields. Prerequisites: [Faculty of Science]

Course Prerequisites

STAT 141 or 151 or SCI 151 and a 300-level PSYCO course.

Students must check with the Department for the topics for the year and any additional prerequisites.

Course Objectives and Expected Learning Outcomes:

In spite of the abundance of attention research, there is still much that is unknown about this fundamental cognitive process. In this course, we will critically read and discuss primary research articles covering the history of attention research, contemporary theories of attention, the various aspects of attention, methods used to study attention, dysfunctions of attention, the development of attention, and links between attention and other cognitive processes, such as memory and consciousness.

Two main learning objectives are (1) to master the material on attention within the course, and (2) to master the ability to critically read and think about the material throughout the course.

By the end of the course, you should understand the many-pronged nature of attention, its relationship with other sensory/cognitive processes, how dysfunctional attention presents, and research methodology used to measure attention.

Required Readings:

All readings are primary journal articles, available for download from the University of Alberta library. NOTE: there are a few readings that will not be accessible to download, thus those will be posted on eClass.

Important Dates:

See the current Calendar for the Academic Schedule, Dates, and Deadlines, which include the Registration Add/Drop deadline and Withdrawal date.

Instructional Method:

The class will include lecture and seminar components. Students are strongly encouraged to come to class prepared to discuss the readings.

Grade Evaluation:

Evaluation Weighting Due Date

(1) Group presentation/ 15% TBD by student

discussion

(2) Critique Paper 35% February 14^th

(3) Take-Home Exam 35% April 3^rd

(4) Participation throughout term

(a) Class attendance 5% each class

(b) Discussion + questions 10% each class ---

* Graduate students will be held to a higher standard on all assignments.

(1) Group Presentation (15%)

Each week, a group of students will present the assigned articles and lead a class discussion.

The group is expected to clearly and concisely summarize the assigned readings, and lead a class discussion on each of the readings by facilitating the discussion on the positives and negatives of the papers. By and large, the articles were chosen based on their opposing views to an issue, thus the discussion should include this debate. As a key learning objective of the course is to foster critical thinking, these presentations have been designed with this in mind.

This activity will also help with the preparation of your critique paper. A common grade for the entire group will be assigned, based on the quality of the article summaries, the content of the discussion, and engagement from the class.

* Graduate students will either present solo, or will contribute to 2 separate presentation dates

(2) Critique Paper (35%)

You will write an evaluation of a journal article, including both summary and critique components.

Summary component: Students will describe the rationale/research question, hypothesis and predictions, methods and procedures, pertinent results and the authors’ interpretation of the study.

Critique component: Students will identify the main issues raised by the article and comment on them. These issues could include questions or concerns regarding the research or

argument presented, alternative ways to interpret the data, proposals for logical follow-up experiments (with clear predictions), or direct links to the psychology literature not made in the article.

More detailed instructions, along with a grading rubric, will be provided on e-class. A strict length limit will be imposed. The paper is due to me in hardcopy at the beginning of class.

Late papers (i.e., those handed in after class) will be deducted accordingly: If one hands in the paper later on that day, they will be deducted 5% of the total. For each day late, 10% will be deducted. Email submissions will not be accepted*.

(3) Take-home Exam (35%)

The take-home exam may consist of short answer (definitions) and essay questions, and will cover all material up to the exam date. The questions will be handed out on March 20^th, 2020,

and the exam is due back to me at the very beginning of class on April 3^rd, 2020. No late exams will be accepted.

(4) Participation (15%)

To promote the main learning objective of fostering critical thinking, class participation is strongly encouraged. Class participation grades will be based in part on thoughtful contributions to the class discussion. Any posts on eClass will not be graded.

(a) Attendance: This course is in large part a seminar (i.e., discussion-based) class, with student-led presentations, discussions, and activities. As such, students are expected to be present and actively engaged. Students can miss one class without penalty; any other unexcused absences will affect the final grade. Any unexcused absences will also result in a zero for that weeks’ discussion questions.

(b) Discussion questions: For each class, students will be responsible for preparing and bringing at least two questions and answers from the readings that they would like to discuss.

These questions should be clearly articulated, and allow for logical, open-ended answers. It is not expected that students have mastery of the reading material while formulating their

questions, but rather that the questions help students think about the readings in some depth before each class. Likewise, while the answers should be clearly articulated and apply reason, it is not expected that students come up with a definitive answer, but rather that they are able to showcase their ability to critically think. NOTE: students do not need to submit questions and answers on their group presentation day.

These questions and answers should be prepared before class meets, and turned in at the beginning of each class period. In addition, all discussion questions and answers must be submitted via eClass prior to each class session.

Representative Evaluative Material:

Sample exam questions will be made available in class and/or on eClass.

Grade Evaluation:

Exams will be marked in terms of your percentage correct. The final grade will be computed according to the University of Alberta letter grading system and will be based upon your relative standing in class. That being said, a mark of at least 50% is typically required for a passing grade. The table below contains an approximate guideline for the course, however the instructor reserves the right to adjust this table and assign appropriate grades based on relative performance. Grades are unofficial until approved by the Department and/or Faculty offering the course.

Excellent Good Satisfactory Poor Pass Fail

Letter

Grade A+ A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D+ D F

Grade Point Value

4.0 4.0 3.7 3.3 3.0 2.7 2.3 2.0 1.7 1.3 1.0 0

Approx.

% ³92 88-

91.9 84- 87.9

78- 83.9

74- 77.9

70- 73.9

65- 69.9

60- 64.9

55- 59.9

53- 54.9

50- 52.9

<50 NOTE: This table contains an approximate guideline for the course, however the instructor reserves the right to adjust this table to correspond to University-suggested ranges and assign appropriate grades based on relative performance.Grades are unofficial until approved by the Department and/or Faculty offering the course.

Missed Term Exams and Assignments:

For an excused absence where the cause is religious belief, a student must contact the instructor(s) within two weeks of the start of Fall or Winter classes to request accommodation for the term (including the final exam, where relevant). Instructors may request adequate documentation to substantiate the student request.

A student who cannot write a term examination or complete a term assignment due to incapacitating illness, severe domestic affliction or other compelling reasons can apply for a deferred assessment or an extension, within 48 hours of the assessment due date.

In all cases, instructors may request adequate documentation to substantiate the reason for the absence, at their discretion.

Deferral of term work is a privilege and not a right; there is no guarantee that a deferral will be granted. Misrepresentation of Facts to gain a deferral is a serious breach of the Code of Student Behaviour.

Deferred Final Examination:

A student who cannot write the final examination due to incapacitating illness, severe domestic affliction or other compelling reasons can apply for a deferred final examination. Students who failed at the start of term to request exam

accommodations for religious beliefs are expected to follow the normal deferred final

examination process. Such an application must be made to the student’s Faculty office within two working days of the missed examination and must be supported by appropriate

documentation or a Statutory Declaration (see Calendar for information on Attendance).

Deferred examinations are a privilege and not a right; there is no guarantee that a deferred examination will be granted. Misrepresentation of Facts to gain a deferred examination is a serious breach of the Code of Student Behaviour.

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES:

Academic Integrity:

The University of Alberta is committed to the highest standards of academic integrity and honesty. Students are expected to be familiar with these standards regarding academic honesty and to uphold the policies of the University in this respect.

Students are particularly urged to familiarize themselves with the provisions of the Code of Student Behaviour and avoid any behaviour which could potentially result in suspicions of cheating, plagiarism, misrepresentation of facts and/or participation in an offence. Academic dishonesty is a serious offence and can result in suspension or expulsion from the University.

All students should consult the Academic Integrity website for clarification on the various offences. If you have any questions, ask your instructor.

All forms of dishonesty are unacceptable at the University. Any offence will be reported to the Associate Dean of the Faculty, who will determine the disciplinary action to be taken. See the Academic Discipline Process. Sanctions range from a grade of zero for an exam or paper in question, with no opportunity to replace the grade or redistribute the weights, to a disciplinary failing grade with a period of suspension or expulsion from the University of Alberta.

Cell Phones:

Cell phones are to be turned off during lectures, labs and seminars, unless the instructor has explicitly requested their use in association with lecture/learning material (e.g., ePoll). Cell phones are not to be brought to exams.

Recording and/or Distribution of Course Materials:

Audio or video recording, digital or otherwise, of lectures, labs, seminars or any other teaching environment by students is allowed only with the prior written consent of the instructor or as a part of an approved accommodation plan. Student or instructor content, digital or otherwise, created and/or used within the context of the course is to be used solely for personal study, and is not to be used or distributed for any other purpose without prior written consent from the content author(s).

STUDENT RESOURCES:

Accessibility Resources (AR) (1 – 80 SUB): The University of Alberta is committed to creating work and learning communities that inspire and enable all people to reach their full potential. AR promotes an accessible, inclusive, and universally designed environment. For general information to register for services visit the Accessibility Resources webpage. Eligible students have both rights and responsibilities with regard to accessibility-related

accommodations. Consequently, scheduling exam accommodations in accordance with AR deadlines and procedures is essential. Please note adherence to procedures and deadlines is required for U of A to provide accommodations.

Academic Success Centre

(1-80 SUB): The Academic Success Centre provides

professional academic support to help students strengthen their academic skills and achieve their academic goals. Individual advising, appointments, and group workshops are available year round in the areas of Accessibility, Communication, Learning, and Writing Resources.

Modest fees apply for some services.

The Centre for Writers

(1-42 Assiniboia Hall): The Centre for Writers offers free one-on- one writing support to students, faculty, and staff. Students can request consultation for a writing project at any stage of development. Instructors can request class visits and presentations.

Health and Wellness Support:

There are many health and community services available to current students. For more information visit the Health and Wellness Support webpage.

Office of the Student Ombuds:

The Office of the Student Ombuds offers confidential interviews, advice and support to students facing academic, discipline, interpersonal and financial difficulties.

LEARNING AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT

The Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, and Faculty of Science are committed to ensuring that all students, faculty, and staff are able to work and study in an environment that is safe and free from discrimination and harassment. It does not tolerate behaviour that undermines that environment.

The University of Alberta acknowledges that we are located on Treaty 6 territory, and respects the histories, languages, and cultures of the First Nations, Métis, Inuit, and all First Peoples of Canada, whose presence continues to enrich our vibrant community.

Policy about course outlines can be found in the Evaluation Procedures and Grading System section of the University Calendar.

Lecture Schedule & Assigned Readings

Week/Dates Topic

Wk 1: Jan 10th Introduction

Lecture Topic: What is attention, and how to measure it?

***

Wk 2: Jan 17th Discussion Topic: What is attention, and how to measure it?

Readings

(1) Kantowitz, B.H., Roediger III, H.L., & Elmes, D.G. (2009). Chapter 8: Attention and reaction time. In Experimental Psychology (9^th Edition). Pages 207-226.

(2) Posner, M.I. (2005). Timing the brain: Mental chronometry as a tool in neuroscience. PLoS Biology, 3(2): e51.

(3) Posner, M.I. (1980). Orienting of attention. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 32, 3-25.

Lecture Topic: What do we pay attention to?

***

Wk 3: Jan 24th Discussion Topic: What do we pay attention to?

Readings

(1) Anderson, B.A., Laurent, P.A., & Yantis, S. (2011). Value-driven attentional capture.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108(25), 10367-10371.

(2) Lavie, N., & Driver, J. (1996) On the spatial extent of attention in object-based visual selection. Perception & Psychophysics, 58, 1238-1251.

(3) New, J., Cosmides, L., & Tooby, J. (2007). Category-specific attention for animals reflects ancestral priorities not expertise. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 104(42), 16598-16603.

(4) Coull, J.T., & Nobre, A.C. (1998). Where and when to pay attention: the neural systems for directing attention to spatial locations and to time intervals as revealed by both PET and fMRI.

The Journal of Neuroscience, 18(18), 7426-7435.

Lecture Topic: How do we pay attention?

***

Wk 4: Jan 31st Discussion Topic: How do we pay attention?

Readings

(1) Jonides, J. (1981). Voluntary versus automatic control over the mind’s eye’s movement. In J.B. Long & A.D. Baddeley (Eds.), Attention and performance IX. Pages 187-203.

(2) Klein, R.M. (2009). On the control of attention. Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology, 63(3), 240-252.

(3) Klein, R.M. (1988). Inhibitory tagging system facilitates visual search. Nature, 334(4), 430- 431.

(4) Awh, E., Belopolsky, A.V., & Theuwees, J. (2012). Top-down versus bottom-up attentional control: A failed theoretical dichotomy. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 16(8), 437-443.

Lecture Topic: Development of attention

***

Wk 5: Feb 7th Discussion Topic: Development of attention Readings

(1) Johnson, M.H., Posner, M.I., & Rothbart, M.K. (1994). Facilitation of saccades toward a covertly attended location in early infancy. Psychological Science, 5(2), 90-93.

(2) Goldberg, M.C., Maurer, D., & Lewis, T.L. (2001). Developmental changes in attention:

The effect of endogenous cuing and distractors. Developmental Science, 4(2), 209-219.

(3) Ristic, J., & Enns, J.T. (2015). The changing face of attentional development. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 24(1), 24-31.

Lecture Topic: Where is attention in the brain?

***

Wk 6: Feb 14th Discussion Topic: Where is attention in the brain?

Readings

(1) Treue, S. (2001). Neural correlates of attention in primate visual cortex. Trends in Neurosciences, 24(5), 295-300.

(2) Kanwisher, N., & Wojciulik, E (2000). Visual attention: Insights from brain imaging. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 1, 91-100.

(3) Rosenberg, M.D., Finn, E.S., Scheinost, D., Papademetris, X., Shen, X., Constable, R.T.,

& Chun, M.M. (2015). A neuromarker of sustained attention from whole-brain functional connectivity. Nature Neuroscience, 19(1), 165-171.

(4) Kosslyn, S.M. (1999). If neuroimaging is the answer, what is the question? Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, Series B, 354, 1283-1294.

Lecture Topic: Attention, Consciousness & Inattention

Wk 7: Feb 21st READING WEEK

Wk 8: Feb 28th Discussion Topic: Attention, Consciousness, & Inattention Readings

Attention & Consciousness:

(1) Cohen, M.A., Cavanagh, P., Chun, M., & Nakayama, K. (2012). The attentional requirements of consciousness. Trends in Cognitive Science, 16(8), 411-417.

(2) van Boxtel, J.J.A., Tsuchiya, N., & Koch, C. (2010). Opposing effects of attention and consciousness on afterimages. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 107(19), 8883-8888.

Inattention:

(3) Mason, M.F., Norton, M.I., van Horn, J.D., Wegner, D.M., Grafton, S.T., & Macrae, N.

(2007). Wandering minds: The default network and stimulus-independent thought. Science, 315, 393-395.

(4) Fox, M.D., Snyder, A.Z., Vincent, J.L., Corbetta, M., Van Essen, D.C., & Raichle, M.E.

(2005). The human brain is intrinsically organized into dynamic, anticorrelated functional networks. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 102(27), 9673-9678.

(5) Raichle, M.E. (2010). Two views of brain function. Trends in Cognitive Science, 14(4), 180- 190.

Lecture Topic: Social attention

***

Wk 9: Mar 6th Discussion Topic: Social attention Readings

(1) Friesen, C.K., & Kingstone, A. (1998). The eyes have it! Reflexive orienting is triggered by nonpredictive gaze. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 5(3), 490-495.

(2) Vecera, S.P., & Rizzo, M. (2006). Eye gaze does not produce reflexive shifts of attention:

Evidence from frontal-lobe damage. Neuropsychologia, 44, 150-159.

(3) Nummenmaa, L., & Calder, A.J. (2009). Neural mechanisms of social attention. Trends in Cognitive Science, 13(3), 135-143.

(4) Kingstone, A., Tipper, C.K., Ristic, J., & Ngan, E. (2004). The eyes have it! An fMRI investigation. Brain and Cognition, 55, 269-271.

Lecture Topic: Attention & Memory

***

Wk 10: Mar 13th Discussion Topic: Attention & Memory Readings

(1) Nee, D.E., & Jonides, J. (2009). Common and distinct neural correlates of perceptual and memorial selection. NeuroImage, 45(3), 963-975.

(2) De Fockert, J.W., Rees, G., Frith, C.D., & Lavie, N. (2001). The role of working memory in visual selective attention. Science, 291(5509), 1803-1806.

(3) Beck, V.M., Hollingworth, A., & Luck, S.J. (2012). Simultaneous control of attention by multiple working memory representations. Psychological Science, 23(8), 887-898.

(4) Doherty, B.R., Patai, E.Z., Duta, M., Nobre, A.C., & Scerif, G. (2017). The functional consequences of social distraction: Attention and memory for complex scenes. Cognition, 158, 215-223.

Lecture Topic: When attention is broken

***

Wk 11: Mar 20th Discussion Topic: When attention is broken Readings

(1) Ramachandra, V.S., & Blakeslee, S. (1998). Chapter 6: Through the looking glass. In:

Phantoms in the brain: Probing the mysteries of the human mind. Page 163

(2) Danziger, S., Kingstone, A., & Rafal, R.D. (1998). Orienting to extinguished signals in hemispatial neglect. Psychological Science, 9(2), 119-123.

(3) Nicholls, M.E.R., Loetscher, T., & Rademacher, M. (2010). Miss to the right: The effect of attentional asymmetries on goal-kicking. PLoS One, 5(8), e12363.

(4) Akiyama, T., Kato, M., Muramatsu, T., Saito, F., Umeda, S., & Kashima, H. (2006). Gaze but not arrows: A dissociative impairment after right superior temporal gyrus damage.

Neuropsychologia, 44, 1804-1810.

Lecture Topic: Attention “in the wild”

***

Wk 12: Mar 27th Discussion Topic: Attention “in the wild”

Readings

(1) Kingstone, A., Smilek, D., Eastwood, J.D. (2008). Cognitive ethology: A new approach for studying human cognition. British Journal of Psychology, 99, 317-340.

(2) Gallup, A.C., Chong, A., & Couzin, I.D. (2012). The directional flow of visual information transfer between pedestrians. Biology Letters, 8(4), 520-522.

(3) Elliott, J.C., Wallace, B.A., & Giesbrecht, B. (2014). A week-long meditation retreat decouples behavioral measures of the alerting and executive attention networks. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 8:69. (9 pages). doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2014.00069

(4) Boxhoorn, S., Bast, N., Supèr, H., Polzer, L., Cholemkery, H., & Freitag, C.M. (2019, online first; 11 pages). doi: 10.1111/jcpp.13179

Lecture Topic: Attention as epiphenomenon?

***

Wk 13: Apr 3rd Discussion Topic: Attention as epiphenomenon?

Readings

(1) Anderson, B. (2011). There is no such thing as attention. Frontiers in Psychology, 2:246.

doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2011.00246

(2) Krauzlis, R.J., Bollimunta, A., Arcizet, F., & Wang, L. (2014). Attention as an effect not a cause. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 18(9), 457-464.

(3) Hommel, B., Chapman, C.S., Cisek, P., Neyedli, H.F., Song, J.-H., & Welsh, T.N. (2019).

No one knows what attention is. Attention, Perception, & Pyschophysics, 81, 2288-2303.

Disclaimer: Any typographical errors in this syllabus are subject to change and will be announced in class and/or posted on the course website (e.g., eClass). In the event of extraordinary circumstances beyond the University’s control, the content and/or evaluation scheme in this course is subject to change. Should this occur you will be notified in due time.

Copyright: Dr. Hayward, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Science, University of Alberta (2020)