Events in Language & Memory - PSY00026H

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  • Department: Psychology
  • Module co-ordinator: Dr. Silvia Gennari
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: H
  • Academic year of delivery: 2018-19
    • See module specification for other years: 2017-18

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching cycle
A Autumn Term 2018-19

Module aims

The purpose of this module is to explore how we store and retrieve the meaning of thousand of words that we have experienced, and how we process and remember information when watching movies or reading stories. We will start by looking at how we store information about actions and events and the words and expressions linked to this information. Then, we will examine the brain mechanisms underlying this knowledge and the process of encoding and remembering information about words and events.

The course will start by examining theories of knowledge organization with specific reference to actions and events. This involves learning about the meaning of action words as well as the memory representations of actions and events. Then, we will discuss theories of language comprehension, in particular, theories of how semantic information of individual words is retrieved and combined. From there, we will review some behavioural and brain imaging evidence for these theories, uncovering some of the brain mechanisms underlying the understanding, encoding and retrieval of events.

Module learning outcomes

  • Describe in detail theories of meaning and memory representations and its relationship to language understanding.
  • Define technical terms, be able to evaluate experimental studies, as well as describe their logic.
  • Define embodied cognition, and assess the extent to which different studies might be an example of such cognition.
  • Define the role of event segmentation in memory and language, and describe and evaluate experimental data in its support.
  • Evaluate the extent to which brain imaging provides a window onto the processes that underlie language and memory.

Module content

  1. Verb meanings and events in semantic memory
  2. The role of verbs in understanding complex events
  3. Incremental interpretation and interaction with context: the time-course of semantic integration
  4. Event segmentation in event memory and story comprehension
  5. Embodied cognition: How motor control figures in language comprehension
  6. Semantics and memory in the brain
  7. Time in language and memory
  8. Putting it all together, from vision, context and linguistic cues to interpretation.

Assessment

Task Length % of module mark
University - closed examination
Events in Language & Memory		 1.5 hours 100

Special assessment rules

None

Reassessment

Task Length % of module mark
University - closed examination
Events in Language & Memory		 1.5 hours 100

Module feedback

The marks on all assessed work will be provided on e-vision

These marks will be accompanied by module feedback circulated via e-mail.

Students will meet supervisors in wk 6 in AuT, SpT and wk 9 in SuT to discuss their marks

Indicative reading

There is no one key reading that is suitable for this course.


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University is constantly exploring ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary by the University. Where appropriate, the University will notify and consult with affected students in advance about any changes that are required in line with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.