The course Thinking and Memory provides a thorough understanding of the way in which people think and remember. How rational are our thought processes and how accurate are our memories?
The course will have relevance for students from a wide variety of disciplines for which thinking and memory are relevant factors. In addition to addressing a number of practical applications, the course will address key VU research profiles from a psychological perspective:
- Human Health and Life sciences: Most people have at least some knowledge of what it means to live a healthy life. The risks of smoking and obesity are known. We know that a healthy life involves physical activity and restricting the consumption of certain kinds of foods and beverages. Yet, knowing what makes us healthy is not enough. It remains a challenge for many people to actually make the right decisions. We will discuss human health from a psychological perspective with a focus on thinking and memory. Why is it so difficult for many people to lead a healthy life?
- Science for sustainability: Human behaviour has allowed the environment to be degraded. We constantly make decisions that are not in the best interest of our environment. Do people just not care or is it just really hard to make decisions that are in the best interest of our planet? We will discuss how the way we think and remember plays a role in our (in)ability to make green choices.