CSP 57 The Cognitive Science of Scientific Cognition

Science pervades modern society, but many people misunderstand and mistrust basic scientific ideas, from climate change to vaccination to evolution. This course will explore cognitive obstacles to understanding and accepting science. We will examine research from cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, cognitive neuroscience, and science education. Our focus will be on the tension between science and intuition and its consequences for learning core theories in both the physical sciences and the biological sciences.