PSY3280 The neuronal basis of consciousness
Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
PSY3280 The neuronal basis of consciousness is a level 3, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, offered in 2020 in Semester 2 at Clayton. It has no prerequisites.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2020
- Semester 2
- Clayton
- Assessment
- No exam
- 6 tasks
This is the 2020 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
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Requisites
Before PSY3280
No prerequisites or corequisites besides the enrolment rules below.
After PSY3280
No unit lists PSY3280 as a prerequisite in the 2020 handbook.
Enrolment rules
Prerequisite: 48 credit points
Overview
In this unit, we will provide a broad view of interdisciplinary studies of the neuronal basis of consciousness. Throughout the unit, we will emphasize a triangulation approach: A) conscious experience per se (phenomenology), B) clinical and experimental facts about neuronal basis of consciousness and C) theories and models of consciousness that facilitate our understanding of A and B. While the lectures range from one’s own perceptual experience (e.g., vision), loss of consciousness (e.g., deep sleep), cognitive processes (e.g., attention, working memory, decision making), the triangulation approach will unify the themes across the topics. By the end of the unit, you will be equipped with critical thinking skills, which are grounded by first-hand experience (to be provided by various website links), supplemented by evidence-based rational thoughts.
Offerings in 2020
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Second semester | Clayton | On campus |
Assessment
- Presentation of research paper (Parts A - 1)15%
- Writing of a short (300-500 words) follow up on other students’ presentation (Part A-2)10%
- Written initial proposal outline (Part B)5%
- Peer review of student’s research proposal (5 mins)10%
- Written research proposal (1,400 – 1,600 words)30%
- Open book quiz on the lecture content and reading material at the end of the lecture (30%)Competency hurdle30%
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
Characterise the theoretical issues for current debate on the neuronal basis of consciousness. This will touch upon issues in philosophy, mathematics, physics, and information theory.
- 2
Describe the main experimental methods to study the neural correlates of consciousness.
- 3
Examine one’s own conscious experience carefully and test it through various demonstrations.
- 4
Critically evaluate the contribution of contemporary research findings and theories in key areas of neuroscience.
- 5
Describe and apply a range of research tools and paradigms used within different domains of neuroscientific research and link them to their own subjective experience.
- 6
Design a creative and empirical way to build on previous research to study a particular aspect of consciousness, based on both their own subjective experience and theories/models taught.
- 7
Peer review the work of other students and receive constructive feedback.
Workload and teaching
- Lectures24 hours
- Tutorials12 hours
One x 2 hour lectures each week and one 2 hour workshop every fortnight.
Learning resources
Required resources
See Moodle for details about required resources.
Where it fits
PSY3280 is part of 3 areas of study in the 2020 handbook.
Contacts
- Chief Examiners
- Professor Nao Tsuchiya
- Unit Coordinators
- Dr Christopher Siva
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for PSY3280?
PSY3280 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.
When is PSY3280 offered?
In 2020, PSY3280 runs in Semester 2 at Clayton.
Does PSY3280 have an exam?
No. PSY3280 has 6 assessment tasks and no exam.
Which majors and minors include PSY3280?
PSY3280 is part of Psychology.