Illusions of Memory and Cognition

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Cognitive and memory illusions are especially important in cognitive psychology since they inspired many experimental and theoretical investigations. These concepts refer to the well-known phenomenon of optical illusions, they are errors and fallacies that are committed with a strong belief in veracity of judgment. During this lecture selected examples of cognitive and memory illusions will be discussed along with the mechanisms of human information processing that explain them.

The goal of this lecture is to broaden students' knowledge about paradigms and theoretical models of memory and cognition. It is expected that students will acquire good understanding of the nature of scientific (experimental) investigation. A secondary aim of the course is to develop students' English vocabulary concerning memory and cognition.

Topics:

1. Introduction. Rationality of human cognition. Kahneman and Tversky’s research program on judgment and decision making.

2. Base-rate neglect. Pseudocontingency.

3. Overconfidence and hindsight bias

4. Subadditivity in judgment of probability.

5. Preference reversals.

6. Choice induced preference change.

7. Classifications of false memories. Factors creating distortions of memory

8. Associative memory illusion- DRM paradigm.

9. Source monitoring framework. Misattribution and cryptomnesia

10. Fuzzy-trace theory: Gist- and verbatim-based memory.

11-12. Deep distortions of memory (Ch. Brainerd’s approach)

13. Implicit memory and mere exposure effect

14. Misinformation effect. Truth effect.

15. Retrieval-induced forgetting. Concluding remarks.

Readings:

Gallo, D. A. (2006). Associative illusions of memory: False memory research in DRM and related tasks. Psychology Press.

Pohl, R. (Ed.) (2016). Cognitive illusions. Intriguing phenomena in judgement, thinking and memory. 2nd Ed. Psychology Press.

Schacter, D. L. (2001). The Seven Sins of Memory: How the Mind Forgets and Remembers. New York, Houghton Mifflin.

Knowledge: A student knows the main types of cognitive illusions and memory distortions and understands importance of their study for development of contemporary tehories of memory and cognition. He/she knows the basic concepts and rules of experimental investigation in cognitive psychology.

Skills: A student understands the importance of precise concept's definition and experimental paradigms in scientific research on memory and judgement/decision making.

Attitudes: A student is ready and motivated to search for new facts and findings about memory and cognition.

ECTS: 6 p.

30 hr - lecture attendance (1p)

50 hr - readings (2p)

80 hr - preparation to exam (3p)

The course grade will be based on:

- participation in lectures,

- final test score (single-choice test) (students will receive in advance a set of questions as a guide).

To receive positive score students should obtain at least 50% points and have no more than 5 absences.