Conscious and unconscious processes in explaining behavior - seminar

1 What is conscious and what is unconscious in (neuro)psychology?

Brief class description: Defining consciousness. Different states of consciousness. Which processes
can be unconscious? Neural correlates of consciousness and unconscious processes. How can we study
unconscious processes experimentally? Example of an explanatory model: unconscious behavioral
guidance systems.
Obligatory text(s):
1) Merikle, P. M., & Daneman, M. (1998). Psychological Investigations of Unconscious
Perception. Journal of Consciousness Studies, 5(1), 518.
Recommended text(s) (non-obligatory):
1) Winkielman, P., & Schooler, J. W. (2011). Splitting consciousness: Unconscious,
conscious, and metaconscious processes in social cognition. European Review of Social
Psychology, 22(1), 135.
2) Bargh, J. A., & Morsella, E. (2009). Unconscious Behavioral Guidance Systems. In C.
Agnew, D. Carlston, W. Graziano, & J. Kelly (Eds.), Then a miracle occurs: Focusing on
behavior in social psychological theory and research. (pp. 89-118). Oxford University Press

2 Conscious and unconscious processes in perception.

Brief class description: Various types of unconscious cognition; implicit memory, perception,
learning and thought. Traditional and modern methods used in measuring unconscious perception. The
role of subliminal priming in conscious perception and behaviour.
Obligatory text(s):
1) Kihlstrom, J. F. (2013). Unconscious Processes. In D. Reisberg (Ed.), Oxford
Handbook of Cognitive Psychology. Oxford University Press.
Recommended text(s) (non-obligatory):
1) Cleeremans, A. (2001). Conscious and unconscious processes in cognition In N.J. Smelser &
P.B. Baltes (Eds.), International Encyclopedia of Social and Behavioral Sciences, (Vol. 4),
Elsevier, 2584-2589.

3 Case study (un)conscious emotions.

Brief class description: Unconscious affect and its influence on our conscious decision process.
Arguments for the existence of unconscious emotions and their criticism.
Obligatory text(s):
1) Ekman, P., & Davidson, R. J. (Eds.). (1994). The Nature of Emotion: fundamental
questions. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development (Vol. 59). Oxford
University Press, pp. 285-299.
Recommended text(s) (non-obligatory):
1) Ekman, P., & Davidson, R. J. (Eds.). (1994). The Nature of Emotion: fundamental questions.
Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development (Vol. 59). Oxford University
Press, pp. 181-234.
2) Winkielman, P., Berridge, K., & Sher, S. (2011). Emotion, Consciousness, and Social
Behavior. In The Oxford Handbook of Social Neuroscience (pp. 195211). Oxford University
Press.
Form of work: active analysis of texts in the class. Final test. Preparation of an essay (non-mandatory;
please consult the instructor).

Passing Requirements:
1) There will be a test after the course. Multiple-choice questions concerning the material from
the obligatory articles and discussed during the class.
2) Active participation in the discussion (students will analyse papers that will be sent to them
prior to the class).
3) A short essay (about 5 pages) may be written by the student to improve her/his grade (please
consult the instructor).