Fall 1999 Courses

This course provides a thorough, hands-on introduction to automated theorem proving. It consists of a traditional lecture component and a joint project in which we will construct a theorem prover. The lecture component introduces the basic concepts and techniques of logic followed by successive refinement towards more efficient implementations. The basic theorem proving paradigms we plan to cover are tactics, tableaux, and the inverse method, all three of which are applicable to classical and non-classical logics. Time permitting we may also cover some aspects of equational and inductive reasoning.

This course will focus on psychological processes in thinking and problem solving; relation of language to thinking; relation of perception and imagery to problem solving; semantics and internal representations; development of information processing capacity. Methods for studying thinking empirically; constructing and testing computer simulation models of adults and children's thinking. Prerequisite: 85-211 Cognitive Psychology or permission of the instructor.

Introduces mathematical and computer techniques used in constructing models of information processing by parallel distributed processing (PDP networks; principles of input-output functions and adaptation (learning) functions in single units and in networks; the relation between PDP networks, neurobiology, artificial intelligence and cognition. This course provides an overview of parallel distributed processing (PDP) models of aspects of perception, memory, language, knowledge representation of learning. The course consists of lectures describing the mathematical and computational theory behind artificial neural network models as well as their implementation. Students also acquire substantial hands-on experience manipulating existing simulation models on computer workstations, and are expected to complete term projects involving novel simulation work. Prerequisites include course 85-211 (Cognitive Psychology), extensive experience using computers, AND course 211-122 (Calculus 2) or permission of the instructor.

The goal of the course is to provide a critical background in research strategies, phenomena, empirical research, models of adult psychopathology. The course emphasis will be on etiological and pathological research, with both psychological and biological findings to be discussed. Course concentration will be on the major adult psychopathologies, including schizophrenia, affective disorders, anxiety, addictions, and criminality. Conceptual and methodological issues that cross diagnostic categories will also be stressed. Treatment approaches and differential diagnosis will be covered but not emphasized. The course format will involve student discussion of lectures and reading along with written papers, and a class presentation. Requirements: readings, and discussion, occasional presentation of selected readings, occasional short essays; major review paper due the last day of class. Papers handed in late will be automatically lowered one letter grad. Topics should be chosen early in the term, after consulting with the instructor. Major presentation on subject of review paper.

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the major theories, issues, methods, and applications of developmental psychology. Primary developmental domain, (Language: perception; cognition; social) are the focus, and within each domain major theoretical systems (e.g. ethology; Gibsonian theory, Piagetian theory, Info Proc, etc.) are critically reviewed as they apply to explanations of child development. Core issues of developmental psychology such as continuity-discontinuity and nature-nurture are considered. If time, various methodologies and research designs appropriate to study development will also be discussed. Presentation by each student; paper and/or exam.

This course covers experimental research methods including proposing an experiment, literature search, experimental design, programming experiments, simple data analysis, research writing, and oral presentation. Specific research techniques for reaction time, memory and learning methods, protocol analysis, and human subject methods are covered. The course provides students experience with the technical skills for advanced research. The course will require a number of laboratory assignments, execute human experiment, write-up an experiment and an in-class final.