9:00 AM Fridays -- 634 Psychology
In this course we emphasize the critical evaluation of topical issues and data in working memory research. Toward this end, we also emphasize the methods of neuroimaging, neuropsychology, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), electroencephalography (EEG), and experimental psychology.
Format: Each week we discuss (at least) one article from the recent literature. These discussions are organized as informal presentations that will give us an opportunity to discuss and assess in detail the theory, methods, results, and interpretation associated with that particular paper. On occasion, these discussions are supplemented with, or supplanted by, an informal presentation of the design and/or results from an experiment being conducted in the Postle laboratory (see section on "3 credits", below). Following the discussion of a particular paper or project, we end the meeting with an attempt to integrate what we've learned from this specific information into the perspective of contemporary cognitive neuroscience inquiry.
Levels of participation: The class may be taken for 1 or 3 credits. The requirements for 1-credit registrants are simply to come to class having read the assigned paper, and prepared to participate in the discussion. The additional requirements for 3-credit registrants are to participate in a research project in the Postle laboratory that entails at least 10 hr./wk. of research time during two consecutive semesters. Availability of 3-credit option depends on current needs of the lab. The Fall-semester version of the course is Psychology 697, the Spring semester version is Psychology 618. The in-class presentations of 3-crediters typically focus on their own experiments.
Grading: 1-credit: in-class participation
3-credit: in-class participation, paper, and research
Instructor: Brad Postle, 515 Psychology, 262-4330, postle@wisc.edu
Office hours: by appointment.
With the exception of time-sensitive emergencies, email is the most effective and preferred way for you to contact me.
All readings are either available for download at http://psych.wisc.edu/postlab, or in hardcopy in room 266 during the week prior to class.
Background readings
Postle, B.R. (2006). Working memory as an emergent property of the mind and brain. Neuroscience, 139, 23-38.
Postle, B.R. (2011). What underlies the ability to guide action with spatial information that is no longer present in the environment? In A. Vandierendonck and A. Szmalec (Eds.) Spatial Working Memory. Psychology Press (Hove, U.K.), 897-901
September 2
Thut G, Schyns PG and Gross J (2011). Entrainment of perceptually relevant brain oscillations by non-invasive rhythmic stimulation of the human brain. Front. Psychology, 2:170. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2011.00170
September 9
Riggall & Postle (under review). Working memory storage relies on neither elevated nor sustained activity.
September 16
Kundu, NRSA
September 23
Thut G, Veniero D, Romei V, Miniussi C, Schyns P, and Gross J (2011). Rhythmic TMS causes local entrainment of natural oscillatory signatures. Current Biology, 21, 1176-1185.
September 30
No meeting; BR out of town
October 7
Olivers CNL, Peters J, Houthamp R and Roelfsema PR (2011). Different states in visual working memory: when it guides attention and when it does not. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 15(7):327-334.
October 14
Simanova I, van Gerven M, Oostenveld R and Hagoort P (2010). Identifying object categories from event-related EEG: Toward decoding of conceptual representations, PLoS ONE. 5(12): e14465.
October 21
No meeting; Dept. of Psychology "First Year Project Symposium"
October 28
Gorgoraptis N, Catalao RFG, Bays PM, and Husain M (2011). Dynamic updating of working memory resources for visual objects. The Journal of Neuroscience, 31(23):8502Ð8511.
November 4
Chen AJW, Navokavic-Agopian T, Nycum TJ, Song S, Turner GR, Hills NK, Rome S, Abrams GM and D'Esposito M (2011). Training of goal-directed attention regulation enhances control over neural processing for individuals with brain injury. Brain, 134(5): 1541-1554.
November 11
Buschman TJ, Siegel M, Roy JE and Miller EK (2011). Neural substrates of cognitive capacity limitations. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108(27):11252-5.
November 18
Meyers EM, Freedman DJ, Kreiman G, Miller EK and Poggio T (2008). Dynamic population coding of category information in the inferior temporal cortex and prefrontal cortex. Journal of Neurophysiology, 100:1407-1419.
November 25
No meeting; Thanksgiving
December 2
Sligte IG, Scholte HS and Lamme VAF (2009). V4 activity predicts the strength of visual short-term memory representations. The Journal of Neuroscience, 29(23):7432-7438.
December 9
Fahrenfort JJ, Scholte HS, Lamme VAF (2007). Masking disrupts reentrant processing in human visual cortex. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 19(9): 1488Ð1497.
Next Semester
Buschman TJ and Miller EK (2010). Shifting the spotlight of attention: Evidence for discrete computations in cognition. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. 4(194): 1-9.
Where to take complaints about a Teaching Assistant or Course Instructor:
Occasionally, a student may have a
complaint about a TA or course instructor. If that happens, you should feel
free to discuss the matter directly with the TA or instructor. If the complaint
is about the TA and you do not feel comfortable discussing it with him or her,
you should discuss it with the course instructor. If you do not want to
approach the instructor, make an appointment to speak to the Department Chair,
Professor Patricia Devine, by emailing: chair@psych.wisc.edu.
If your complaint has to do with
sexual harassment, you may also take your complaint to Vicky Lenzlinger,
Undergraduate Program Coordinator, phone 262-0512 or email her at
vlenzlinger@psych.wisc.edu. Her office is located on the second floor of
the Psychology building, room 222.
If you believe the TA or course
instructor has discriminated against you because of your religion, race,
gender, sexual orientation, or ethnic background, you also may take your
complaint to the Office of Equity and Diversity, room 179-A Bascom Hall, or go
to: http://www.oed.wisc.edu/