Why are our memories sometimes false, and our perceptions fooled by illusions? When should you prefer not to get paid for your work? Could the temperature of my cup of coffee really affect how much I like you later? How could your decisions, your desires, and even your test scores be affected by subtle changes in your environment? In this class we will discuss surprising and important psychology findings that will change the way you think about experiences in your every day life

What can studying infants tell us about how the mind and brain works? In this class we will discuss everything from whether a young child understands morality to the origins of math. Do young children "know" the laws of physics -- and how could we tell if they did? Will giving a 5-month old sticky-mittens make them smarter when they grow up? How about 'Baby Einstein'? We'll review the evidence on what kinds of knowledge we born with, and what we learn as babies to try to get an understanding of the adult mind.

Why are our memories sometimes false, and our perceptions fooled by illusions? When should you prefer not to get paid for your work? Could the temperature of my cup of coffee really affect how much I like you later? How could your decisions, your desires, and even your test scores be affected by subtle changes in your environment? In this class we will discuss surprising and important psychology findings that will change the way you think about experiences in your every day life.

What kinds of knowledge are we born with, and what do we learn as young babies? In this class we will discuss everything from why peek-a-boo works so well to the origins of morality. Do babies know the laws of physics --- and how could we tell if they did? Do babies know that some people are nicer than others? Can they do basic math at only 6 months of age?

What makes us the people we are? For thousands of years, the "nature versus nurture" debate has raged on. We'll see how we can actually measure the effects of heritability and environment, and begin to address how our genes interact with experience to produce mind, brain and behavior. We'll look at cool studies comparing identical and fraternal twins, talk about the evolution of human cognition, ask what innateness and heritability really mean, and discuss the philosophical questions that these issues bring up.

Why are our memories sometimes false, and our perceptions fooled by illusions? When should you prefer not to get paid for your work? Could the temperature of my cup of coffee really affect how much I like you later? How could your decisions, your desires, and even your test scores be affected by subtle changes in your environment? In this class we will discuss surprising and important psychology findings that will change the way you think about experiences in your every day life.

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