PhD Course
PhD Program
The PhD Course in “Cognitive Psychology, Psychophysiology and Personality”
plays a key role in high-educational degree for those people that are
looking for academic research and teaching careers in the study of Experimental
Psychology and related fields.
The intensity of the Course demands energy and zeal in the pursuit of
greater understanding, and a willingness to master the theoretical, behavioral,
and neuroscientific approaches that are the essential components of an
academic research in this domain. Such preparation reaches its culmination
in the original research presented in the candidate's doctoral dissertation,
and conferral of the Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology, Psychophysiology and
Personality signifies that he or she has attained expert competence in
a major field of psychological study.
Each student in the Program chooses to concentrate in one of several available
fields of study. Tutors and advisors play a key role in guiding students
through the Course. Although a student's primary coursework and research
activities are concentrated in the field of specialization, this does
not limit the range of a student's study; cross-disciplinary study is
frequent and encouraged. Regular comunications between the student and
faculty advisors are promoted. Moreover, candidates have to participates
in workshops and other scientifical activities (seminars, lectures, etc...)
kept by national and international invited lectures.
Candidates have to frequent summer schools of methodology, and to spend
at least 4 months abroad developing research projects in a centre of excellence.
Participation to national and international conferences with papers related
to their own scientifical acitivity in highly encouraged. For each years
of Course, a final evaluation of candidates’ work is provided by
the teaching committee. The specific works are separated for each year
of the Ph.D. course: In the 1st year a critical review of the literature
in the research field chosen by the candidate is required; in the 2nd
year, a pilot study on an argument developed on the knowledge acquired
with the review; 3rd year: the final study, organizing an original research
work.
Major Research Topics
Cognitive Processes
Experimentation and modeling of processes as recognition, attention, mental
representation, concept development, memory, thinking, reasoning, problem
solving, language, intelligence, emotion. All these topic can be devolped
taking into account developmental perspective, in both normal and pathological
subjects.
Musical Cognition Processes
Cognitive analysis of musical behaviour including the three basic steps:
composition, execution, fruition; and application of the study on musical
cognition processes to comunication, multimediality and educational fields.
Decision Making Processes
Modeling of Cognitive Processes involved with decision making and prevision
in risk, cooperative and competitive situations.
Cognitive Processes in Disability and in Emergency Situations
Development of cognitive capabilities in disabled persons, psycotechnologies
and assistive devices; theories and models of cognitive activity in case
of emergency.