Cognitive Neuroscience

This volume is designed to introduce students to cognitive neuroscience, a discipline whose goal is to understand the brain bases of cognitive function. It provides such an introduction by presenting key readings written by leaders in the field. Because cognitive neuroscience is an inherently multi-disciplinary field that draws from neuropsychology, cognitive science, neurophysiology and computer science, the first section of the reader introduces students to the multifaceted methods currently being used in the field. Background readings introduce students to single-cell recordings, neuropsychological studies, brain mapping and computational modelling. The book then emphasizes key conceptual and empirical work in six cognitive domains: object recognition, face processing, language, attention, long-term memory and working memory. For each of these six cognitive domains, there is a representative article for each of the four methods that demonstrate their application to the critical issues in cognitive neuroscience.
Each section includes an introductory essay providing a conceptual framework and historical background that provides the student with an overview for that portion of the book. In addition, each article is preceded by a short piece that directs the student to the essential conceptual issues being addressed in the article.