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The Cognitive Neuroscience of Adolescent Decision-Making & Social Cognition - PSY00071H

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  • Department: Psychology
  • Module co-ordinator: Ms. Maryann Noonan
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: H
  • Academic year of delivery: 2023-24
    • See module specification for other years: 2024-25

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 1 2023-24

Module aims

Adolescence can be a challenging phase of life. Most mental health illnesses begin during adolescence and at the same time there is a peak in deaths and serious injuries from risky behaviours. One important factor that has been linked to atypical adolescent behaviour and mental health is the late broad maturation and residual plasticity of the prefrontal cortex. The prefrontal cortex, within a circuit of other key subcortical structures, controls a range of cognitive functions including decision making. Critically, many of these cognitive functions, like decision making, are affected in mental health conditions. This suggests that some aspects of adolescence physiology or environment creates a window for ill health and poor decisions.

In the context of recent advances in our understanding of the neurobiology of decision making and social cognition in the adult, this course aims to examine typical and atypical adolescent learning, decision making and social cognition. This course will critically examine evidence from developmental psychology, as well as cognitive, computational and comparative neuroscience, in human and non-human animal models.

Module learning outcomes

  • Describe the neurobiological development of learning and decision making circuits, and have an understanding of the limitations of the current methods.
  • Give an account of the development of cognitive and neural mechanisms underpinning adolescent goal-directed learning and decision making.
  • Give an account of social and emotional processes across adolescence and evaluate the contribution of the social brain.
  • Comment on the value of non-human animal research to developmental cognitive neuroscience.
  • Evaluate these findings from a clinical, educational and societal perspective.

Module content

  • The anatomy of goal-directed learning and decision making
  • Neurobiological development of learning and decision making circuits.
  • Adolescent learning and decision making
  • Aberrant learning and decision making in adolescent onset mental health conditions
  • Social and emotional development across adolescence
  • Development of the social brain across adolescent
  • Social influence on goal-directed learning and decision making
  • Disruptions to social development and impact on mental health

Assessment

Task Length % of module mark
Online Exam -less than 24hrs (Centrally scheduled)
The Cognitive Neuroscience of Adolescent Decision-Making & Social Cognition		 5 hours 100

Special assessment rules

None

Reassessment

Task Length % of module mark
Online Exam -less than 24hrs (Centrally scheduled)
The Cognitive Neuroscience of Adolescent Decision-Making & Social Cognition		 5 hours 100

Module feedback

Marks will be released through e:vision.

Indicative reading

Reading lists for each topic will be available via the course home page. Key readings from the lectures will be available via the University library’s e-journals. The main reading involves primary source material and published review papers.

Sample Reading:

  • The Neuroscience of Adolescence (Cambridge Fundamentals of Neuroscience in Psychology) by Galvan A. (2017)
  • Decision making in the adolescent brain by Blakemore, SJ & Robbins TW (2012)


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.