Upper School Intersession 2025

How does the brain, a three-pound organ, give rise to all of the thoughts and feelings we experience everyday? How can new technologies such as virtual reality contribute to our understanding of the brain and human behavior?

This course will be an introduction to novel methods that scientists are using to learn about human cognition, emotion, and motivation. We begin the session by examining the the structure and function of the brain, and how scientists use neuroimaging to gain insight into the biological basis of behavior. We will then explore current methods like immersive virtual reality (VR), psychophysiological methods, and functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI). We will conclude with a discussion about how to apply these new methods to open questions in psychology and neuroscience, as well as some crucial ethical considerations that arise when utilizing such approaches.