Knowledge and Understanding

Students will acquire a solid understanding of the course content, including key theories, major findings, and methodologies used in comparative psychology. Particular focus will be given to research and experimentation, classical and emerging animal models, and translational models for studying cognition and behavior in both human and non-human animals. The course will combine theoretical insights with practical applications, integrating a learning-by-doing approach to designing experiments and applying statistical methods for data analysis and interpretation.

Critical Thinking and Independent Judgment

Students will develop the ability to critically assess key challenges in experimental design and data analysis across different constructs and paradigms. Emphasis will be placed on evaluating methodological choices and understanding their implications for research outcomes.

Communication Skills

Students will be encouraged to effectively articulate their knowledge and critically analyze experimental design challenges. They will learn to clearly present the reasoning behind their methodological choices and refine their use of domain-specific terminology. Communication skills will be actively fostered through class discussions, hands-on activities, and collaborative exercises.

Learning Skills

Beyond acquiring specific competencies, the course aims to develop a broader psychological perspective on the observation and analysis of animal behavior and cognition. Learning will be reinforced through interactive discussions with the instructor and peers. Students will be encouraged to adopt a critical and reflective approach to learning, enabling them to independently update and expand their knowledge and skills throughout their academic and professional journey.

None

Students will delve into the core concepts of animal cognition and behavior, with a particular focus on cognitive paradigms that can be translated from non-human animals to humans and vice versa. The course is designed to facilitate the acquisition and understanding of the key theoretical notions and the research process through hands-on experience in computational modeling, as well as the creation and programming of behavioral and cognitive experiments suitable for both non-human and human participants, with an eye on ethical implications. Additionally, students will be presented with emerging invertebrate animal models with the potential to replace vertebrates in translational research.

Specific reviews will complement the presentations and practical work of the two modules and will be made available on the course’s Moodle page.

The first module is devoted to learning applied cognitive and behavioral methods in a translational perspective from human to non-human animals, stressing the contamination across disciplines for a broad understanding of each single construct.

Part 1 - The study of Behavior and Cognition: laws, ethics, paradigms and a broad approach

Habituation, Sensitization, Conditioning I, Conditioning II, other forms of learning (e.g., CPP, PIT, latent learning, latent inhibition, one-trial learning, reversal learning)

Part 2 - Animal models to study brain organisation

Modules, Plasticity, Lateralization
(e.g., spontaneous choices, classes of cells, cortical representation, left-right asymmetries)

Part 3 - From humans to animals and viceversa

Addiction, Anxiety, Depression, Stress, Fear, Pain



The hands-on module of 3 CFU is conceived with a learning-by-doing approach to acquisition of research skills in translational animal research. In particular, students will progress through the course topics by developing an experiment from scratch to hatch, working in groups.

The module is structured into three main areas: 1) Applied statistics (using R or Jamovi), 2) Research skills (using PsychoPy), and 3) Research implementation.



Software skills: R (or alternatively Jamovi) and PsychoPy



Area 1: Applied statistics using R (8 hours)

Descriptive statistics and hypothesis testing

Power analysis, and sample size estimation

Regression analysis



Area 2: Research skills (8 hours)

Experimental design

Programming cognitive experiments using PsychoPy



Area 3: Research implementation (8 hours)

Project development and planning

Data collection

Data analysis, results presentation, and conclusion

Lectures will be delivered in the classroom, supported by video projections of images and film clips, which will be analyzed and discussed together. Individual and group assignments will be conducted under the instructor’s supervision. Practical exercises will include the use of specific software.

Links to relevant websites, scientific articles, and additional materials for further study will be made available on the course’s Moodle page throughout the semester. The access key will be provided during the first lecture.

Any modifications to the teaching methods described here, necessary to comply with safety protocols in case of emergencies, will be communicated on the Department, Degree Program, and Course web pages.

The exam format will be explained at the beginning of the course and will also be available in the introductory presentation uploaded to the course’s Moodle page.

The exam will be a written test consisting of six short-answer questions and three extended-response questions, to be completed within one hour. Each short-answer question will be graded on a scale from 0 to 2 points, while each extended-response question will be graded from 0 to 6 points. The total score will be converted to a 30-point scale, with a passing grade set at 18/30.

A distinction ("lode") will be awarded to students who achieve a score higher than 6 points on at least one of the extended-response questions. This will be granted based on the ability to critically and effectively reorganize course content in an original and insightful manner. No additional oral examination is foreseen.

This course explores topics closely related to one or more goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (SDGs)