The Science of Paying Attention

3 units

What processes underlie humans' ability to pay attention? This course will introduce students to theories of attention and cognitive control. Students will develop an understanding of empirical approaches to studying the control of attention, and examine factors that facilitate and impair humans' ability to pay attention. A final section will examine attention and cognitive control challenges that accompany aging and select psychological disorders such as ADHD, and applications of attention and cognitive control research to the classroom, driving, and other contexts. PREREQ: Psych 100B and Psych 301.