Social Cognitive Psychology

Social Cognitive Psychology is the scientific study of mental processes, information processing and group dynamics. Students will investigate how our brains let us “see” the world, how our perceptions depend on our current state of attention, and how memories can change over time. As we seek to better understand the human mind, we will discuss language abilities and the power of social influences. Students will look at mistakes that people make, from simple visual illusions to errors in higher-level decision-making, and will discuss how these “failures” provide unique insights into the mechanisms of human thinking and even mental disorders and their treatment.