Humans’ abilities to reason and think about emotion (i.e., affective cognition) is highly sophisticated. Even with limited information, humans can predict whether someone will feel amused, excited, or moved, or whether they will feel embarrassed, disappointed, or furious. How do humans acquire these abilities? This course will delve into the development of affective cognition in infancy and childhood. Topics include infants’ and children’s abilities to infer, predict, and explain emotions, the influence of family and culture in these developmental processes, and atypical development of affective cognition. Through reading classic and contemporary papers, presenting and discussing current topics, and proposing novel ideas in this research domain, students will gain an in-depth understanding of the fundamental aspects of affective cognition over the course of development.
*1. Beginning in Fall 2028, STAB22H3/STAB23H3 will no longer satisfy the statistics prerequisite for this course. Students planning to take a PSY D-level course in Fall 2028 or later must complete the PSYB06H3 prerequisite, unless they have previously completed one of the retired PSY options (PSYB07H3) or (PSYC08H3).
2. Priority will be given to fourth-year students in the Specialist/Specialist Co-op programs and Major/Major Co-op programs in Psychology and Mental Health Studies. Third-year students in these programs will be admitted as space permits.
3. Students in a Specialist/Specialist Co-op Program in Psychology, Mental Health Studies or Neuroscience may take a maximum of 1.0 PSY/NRO D-level credits. Students in a Major/Major Co-op Program in Psychology, Mental Health Studies or Neuroscience may take a maximum of 0.5 PSY/NRO D-level credits per major. Students in the Minor Program in Psychology are not typically eligible for enrolment in PSY/NRO D-level courses. PSYD98Y3/NROD98Y3 are excluded from these limits. Please see this website for full information.
