Aims

- to present the animal models of cognitive functioning allowing the study of its neurophysiological bases, its individual development, its phylogeny and its pathology.
- to discuss the methodological aspects of the research in this field.

Main themes

- Representation of time and space: presentation of the psychobiological models related to the spatiotemporal processes and to the various brain structures impled. The different stages of these treatments (gathering of information, memorization, anticipation, decision-making) will be analysed through the presentation of current experiments realized on Primates and Rodents. The data about counting and numerical processes in animal will be discussed, as the hypothesis of a link between the neurobiological mechanisms impled in counting and those implied in the management of time has often been proposed.
- Social cognition : presentation of the late data obtained through experimental research in compared psychology and through the observation of social behaviours. Mental representations in upper Vertebrates: social and individual recognition, auto-recognition in a mirror, representation of hierarchy and other social relations. Discussion about the modes of social intelligence in situations of competition/cooperation and of conflict resolution (inference of hierarchical transitivity, social manipulation, faking, etc.)

Content and teaching methods

- to present the animal models of cognitive functioning allowing the study of its neurophysiological bases, its individual development, its phylogeny and its pathology.
- to discuss the methodological aspects of the research in this field.

Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

The content of the course could change each year