Students
PSYM7737 – Advanced Issues in Thinking and Reasoning
2020 – Session 2, Special circumstance
Notice
As part of Phase 3 of our return to campus plan, most units will now run tutorials, seminars and other small group learning activities on campus for the second half-year, while keeping an online version available for those students unable to return or those who choose to continue their studies online.
To check the availability of face to face activities for your unit, please go to timetable viewer. To check detailed information on unit assessments visit your unit's iLearn space or consult your unit convenor.
General Information
Download as PDF
| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Unit Convenor
Ann Carrigan
Contact via Email
4FW 406
Email for an appointment
Guest Lecturer
Piers Bayl-Smith
Guest Lecturer
Stephanie Howarth
Guest Lecturer
Colin Wastell
Guest Lecturer
Patrick Nalepka
|
|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
10
|
| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
Admission to MRes
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| Corequisites |
Corequisites
|
| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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| Unit description |
Unit description
This unit will explore and examine the nature and structure of human thinking, reasoning and decision making, in other words how human beings process information and utilise it to meet the demands of their lives. The unit cover a diverse range of theoretical, empirical and social questions ranging across domains such as financial, scientific, medical, personal, military, aviation, forensics. |
Important Academic Dates
Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- ULO1: Demonstrate the ability to critique empirically based research articles.
- ULO3: Describe, outline and critique the major approaches to the study of human thinking, reasoning and deciding
- ULO2: List and critique the central assumptions of the major approaches to the study of human thinking, reasoning and deciding.
- ULO4: Describe and critique the Dual (Multi) Processes models of human thinking, reasoning and deciding
- ULO5: Review the psychosocial impact of artificial intelligence with respect to human decision making
General Assessment Information
Essay: Students may answer either one of two questions provided to the class or students may propose their own essay question [provided it is NOT closely related to their Honours thesis] but this must be approved by the Unit convenor before the mid semester break.
Group Presentation: You will be allocated to small groups to prepare and present a 15 min talk in the final week of Semester. You have a week to prepare in Week 8. An individual mark will be applied to all students.
Quizzes: Ten weekly quizzes relating to the content in the weekly lecture and are due the following Tuesday at 5pm.
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 45% | No | Friday Week 8 at 5pm |
| Group seminar presentation | 35% | No | Week 12 in class |
| Online quiz | 20% | No | Tuesday the following week after lecture by 5pm |
Essay
Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 50 hours
Due: Friday Week 8 at 5pm
Weighting: 45%
A 2500 word essay on either (a) a topic relevant to the topics covered in the unit OR (b) student-selected in consultation with the unit convener
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Demonstrate the ability to critique empirically based research articles.
- Describe, outline and critique the major approaches to the study of human thinking, reasoning and deciding
- List and critique the central assumptions of the major approaches to the study of human thinking, reasoning and deciding.
- Review the psychosocial impact of artificial intelligence with respect to human decision making
Group seminar presentation
Assessment Type 1: Presentation
Indicative Time on Task 2: 40 hours
Due: Week 12 in class
Weighting: 35%
Each group will give a 15 minute talk on a pre-approved chosen topic relevant to the content of the unit presented during the online seminar
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Demonstrate the ability to critique empirically based research articles.
- Describe, outline and critique the major approaches to the study of human thinking, reasoning and deciding
- List and critique the central assumptions of the major approaches to the study of human thinking, reasoning and deciding.
- Describe and critique the Dual (Multi) Processes models of human thinking, reasoning and deciding
- Review the psychosocial impact of artificial intelligence with respect to human decision making
Online quiz
Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: Tuesday the following week after lecture by 5pm
Weighting: 20%
An online quiz following each week's lecture content across 10 weeks
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Describe, outline and critique the major approaches to the study of human thinking, reasoning and deciding
- List and critique the central assumptions of the major approaches to the study of human thinking, reasoning and deciding.
- Describe and critique the Dual (Multi) Processes models of human thinking, reasoning and deciding
- Review the psychosocial impact of artificial intelligence with respect to human decision making
1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:
- the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
- the Writing Centre for academic skills support.
2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation
Delivery and Resources
There are no set textbooks for this unit, but for your interest these are available through the Library:
Stanovich, K., (2010). Decision Making and Rationality in the Modern World. New York: Oxford University Press.
Bazerman, M & Moore, D. (2013) Judgment in Managerial Decision Making [8th Edition]. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley
Hardman, D., (2009). Judgment and Decision Making: Psychological Perspectives. Chichester, UK: BPS Blackwell.
Hastie, R., & Dawes, R. M., (2010). Rational choice in an uncertain world 2nd edition. Thousand Oakes, CA: Sage Publications.
Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, Fast and Slow. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Newell, B. R., Lagnado. D. A., & Shanks, D. R. (2015). Straight Choices: The psychology of decision making. Second Edition. New York: Psychology Press.
Additional reading
There may be additional reading for the week uploaded to iLearn.
Classes
Twelve weeks:
- 10 x 2-hour lecture
- 1 x 2-hour group presentations preparation.
- 3 hour seminar for group presentations in Week 12.
Lectures will involve theory and challenge questions. Where applicable, real world case studies will be discussed.
In some weeks, lectures will be delivered via Zoom, so that we can participate in group work. There is an assumption that all students are able to attend these classe to receive maximum benefit. All will be pre recorded and found in Echo.
The only exception to this is Week 13, which will be vacant as there is no set exam in 2020.
Students are expected to complete readings prior to attending the lecture, and they are expected to participate in class discussions.
Unit Schedule
| Week | Lecture topic (subject to change) |
| 1 |
Introduction to unit and to the study of Human Information Processing
|
| 2 |
Early approaches of deciding: Expected Utility Theory (EUT) Bounded Rationality |
| 3 |
Prospect Theory: Subjective Utility
|
| 4 |
Ecological rationality and Adaptive Heuristics
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| 5 |
a) Deduction and induction: Reasoning both formal and flexible b) Analogical Reasoning |
| 6 |
a) Problem solving b) Inputs of HIP: Perception and Memory |
| 7 |
Decision making and human error
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| 8 |
Presentation preparation
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| 9 |
Belief bias, conflict detection and intuitive logic
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| 10 |
a) Dual Process models of thinking b) Complex Emergent Modularity |
| 11 |
a) Human/machine collaboration in applied settings b) The cognitive and social aspects of the human/machine collaboration |
| 12 |
Presentations
|
Policies and Procedures
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
- Academic Appeals Policy
- Academic Integrity Policy
- Academic Progression Policy
- Assessment Policy
- Fitness to Practice Procedure
- Grade Appeal Policy
- Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public
- Special Consideration Policy (Note: The Special Consideration Policy is effective from 4 December 2017 and replaces the Disruption to Studies Policy.)
Students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central).
Student Code of Conduct
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/getting-started/student-conduct
Results
Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
Student Support
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to help you improve your marks and take control of your study.
The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources.
Student Services and Support
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
Student Enquiries
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
IT Help
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.