Studying at York
The Psychology of Consciousness & Free Will - PSY00056H
Module will run
| Occurrence | Teaching period |
|---|---|
| A | Semester 1 2023-24 |
Module aims
Although our sense of self, and being aware of our surroundings, is something we all experience it remains notoriously tricky phenomenon to both conceptualise and measure. Similarly we normally feel that we have free will; in particular, that we choose what to do, that our choices have consequences, and that we could have done otherwise. This feeling is fundamental to our private mental lives, and to many ethical, judicial, and religious ideas. However, it is not easy to reconcile with the picture of the world that emerges from science. The topics of consciousness and free will have been wrestled with by psychologists and philosophers for thousands of years but it is only recently that experimental psychologists, cognitive scientists, and neuroscientists have joined the fray.
This module provides an overview of theoretical and experimental work on the psychology of free will and consciousness, emphasising recent results from cognitive sciences, and relating these to their historical context.
Module learning outcomes
- Describe major positions on free will, determinism and consciousness
- Give an account of key experiments and findings
- Discuss strengths and limitations of different research methods
- Relate psychology of will and consciousness to other areas of psychology
- Evaluate implications for understanding of mind, brain, and behaviour
Module content
- Consciousness as a phenomenon
- Free will and determinism
- Genes and memes
- Altered states of consciousness
- AI and the future of will
Indicative assessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Online Exam -less than 24hrs (Centrally scheduled) | 100 |
Special assessment rules
None
Indicative reassessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Online Exam -less than 24hrs (Centrally scheduled) | 100 |
Module feedback
The marks on all assessed work will be provided on e-vision.
Indicative reading
Sample Reading:
Wegner, D. M. (2004). Précis of The illusion of conscious will, Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 27, 634–692.
Ainslie, G. (2005). Precis of breakdown of will, Behavioural and Brain Sciences, 28 635–650.
Harris, S. (2012). Free will. Free Press. USA.