Bachelor of Science in Psychology in Cognition and Perception Concentration

The Cognition and Perception CAP concentration focuses on studying how people intelligently adapt to the functional demands of environments. For example, a perception psychologist might study the basics of hearing and a human factors specialist would then use this information to design an audio display to help locate objects in the environment. A cognitive psychologist and a public policy maker might ask how one divides attention and whether it is safe to drive and talk on the cell phone at the same time. A cognitive neuropsychologist might ask how people who naturally develop an exceptional skill in visual object recognition e.g. bird watchers process information differently and if there might be differences in the neural substrates supporting these perceptual differences. In the court of law, knowing the impact of the power and limits of memory is paramount for gauging the weight of eyewitness testimonies. Understanding basic human reasoning and decision making provide critical information for a training psychologist to devise safeguards and training regimens to ensure medical safety.