COG, Communication Theory and Empirical Methodologies

The module gives students:

Knowledge and understanding of:

• the interdisciplinary nature of cognitive science and its different frameworks - from the classical computational models to connectionism

· ways in which key concepts are introduced and used by different frameworks

• ways in which cognitive processes and human behaviour can be described and explained at various levels of explanation (ranging from descriptions of cognitive tasks to neurobiological implementation)
• key notions in contemporary philosophy of psychology and philosophy of

mind.

Skills to:

• describe and explain how applications of cognitive science may have relevance for communication
• apply cognitive theories and methodologies to situations and problems of

communication.

Competencies to:

• reflect on the different possible interpretations of theory and these interpretations’ relationships to each other in relations to issues in communication
• identify ways in which cognitive factors constrain and determine communicative actions and content.

Students are able to:

• account descriptively and critically for key theories of communication
• discuss and evaluate the relevance of various communication theories with

regard to a particular instance of communication of the student's own choice (face-to-face and/or technologically mediated).

• account descriptively and critically for key empirical methodologies
• operationalize relevant aspects of one or more communication theories

with regard to a particular instance, purpose, and context of communication 

• develop and substantiate such operationalization in the form of an empirical research design which takes into account the medium, genre and social context in question
• discuss and evaluate the proposed operationalization with due consideration to the chosen method(s) as well as both theoretical and empirical aspects of communication studies.