NACS 645: Methods and paradigms
Theory testing, inference from neuroimaging, and the role of paradigms in explanation.
Course material for NACS 645: Introduction to Cognitive Science (Fall 2025) at the University of Maryland. Sessions covered: Method 1 (quantitative perspectives), Method 2 (need for paradigms).
Required readings:
- Meehl, P. E. (1967). Theory-testing in psychology and physics: A methodological paradox. Philosophy of Science, 34(2), 103-115.
- Poldrack, R. A. (2006). Can cognitive processes be inferred from neuroimaging data? Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 10(2), 59-63.
- Jolly, E., & Chang, L. J. (2019). The flatland fallacy: Moving beyond low-dimensional thinking. Topics in Cognitive Science, 11(2), 433-454.
- Krakauer, J. W., Ghazanfar, A. A., Gomez-Marin, A., MacIver, M. A., & Poeppel, D. (2017). Neuroscience needs behavior: Correcting a reductionist bias. Neuron, 93(3), 480-490.
The material is provided below as a single PDF.
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