THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2018/2019

University Homepage
DRPS Homepage
DRPS Search
DRPS Contact
DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences : Psychology

Undergraduate Course: Multisensory Integration (PSYL10097)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences CollegeCollege of Humanities and Social Science
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 10 (Year 4 Undergraduate) AvailabilityAvailable to all students
SCQF Credits10 ECTS Credits5
SummaryCovering a variety of methodologies, this course will describe and evaluate the results of recent research on multisensory integration. First, the neural mechanisms underlying multisensory integration will be outlined. We will then examine the perception of multisensory events, the advantages afforded by the ability to combine different sensory modalities and the key determinants of intersensory interactions. Another key question addressed will be how multisensory interactions are linked to and modulated by attention. We will specifically consider the latest evidences assessing the role of exogenous and endogenous attentional mechanisms on crossmodal processes. In addition, we will also focus on recent research concerning how multisensory information is used to create multiple spatial representations of our body parts and of the spaces within which they can act. We will see how these representations that are used by the brain to guide body movements trough space show a considerable degree of plasticity. Finally, we will consider how the cortical system for perception may become radically reorganized after sensory deprivation or crossmodal rerouting of sensory projections and evaluate this surprising degree of cross-modal plasticity that characterize cortical processing.
Course description This course aims to provide an overview on how the senses work together to create a stable and coherent representation of the body and the external world.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites It is RECOMMENDED that students have passed Research Methods and Statistics 2 (PSYL10126) AND Research Methods & Statistics 3 (PSYL10127)
Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesDegree major in Psychology and passes in Psychology courses at least to the equivalent of Junior Honours level in Edinburgh. Prior arrangement with the 4th year Honours Course Organiser.
High Demand Course? Yes
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2018/19, Available to all students (SV1) Quota:  50
Course Start Block 3 (Sem 2)
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 100 ( Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 98 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) Essay (maximum length 3000 words). A choice of topics to be set by the course organiser.

Feedback Not entered
No Exam Information
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this course, students will be able to demonstrate knowledge of:
the brain mechanisms underlying multisensory integration
the perceptual and behavioural consequences of multisensory integration and the key determinants of these intersensory bindings
the role of attention on crossmodal perception and multisensory integration.
the multisensory brain¿s representation of the body and of peripersonal space
Cortical plasticity across sensory modalities and the effects of sensory deprivation
Reading List
Multisensory Integration
Unimodal sensory systems:
Breedlove, S., Watson, N.V., Rosenzweig (2010). Biological Psychology (Sixth Edition). Sinauer. Chapters 9 - 10
Bear, M., Connors, B., & Paradiso, M. (2001). Neuroscience exploring the brain (third Edition). Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins. Chapters 9-12.
Or any other biological psychology text book

Multisensory integration:
Stein, B.E. & Stanford, T.R. (2008) Multisensory integration: current issues from the perspective of the single neuron. Nature Reviews Neuroscience 9: 255 ¿ 266.
Driver and Noesselt (2008). Multisensory Interplay reveals crossmodal influences on sensory-specific brain regions, neural responses and judgments, Neuron 57, 11 ¿ 23.
Spence, C. & Driver, J. (2004) Crossmodal Space and Crossmodal attention. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [chapter 2]
Calvert, G.A. & Thesen, T., (2004) Multisensory integration: methodological approaches and emerging principles in the human brain. Journal of Physiology.

Multisensory perception
Spence, C. & Driver, J. (2004) Crossmodal Space and Crossmodal attention. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [chapter 7]
Driver & Spence (2000). Multisensory perception: Beyond modularity and convergence. Current Biology, 10, 731-735.
Alais, Newell & Mamassian (2010). Multisensory processing in review: from physiology to behaviour. Seeing and perceiving, 23, 3-38.

Crossmodal attention and multisensory integration
Spence, C. & Driver, J. (2004) Crossmodal Space and Crossmodal attention. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [chapter 8, 9 & 10]
Spence (2000). Crossmodal spatial attention. Ann. N. Y. Acd. Sci.
Driver & Spence (1998). Attention and the cross-modal construction of space. Trends in cognitive science.
Driver & Spence (1998). Crossmodal attention. Current opinion in Neurobiology.

Multimodal representation of space and the body
Spence, C. & Driver, J. (2004) Crossmodal Space and Crossmodal attention. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [chapter 3]
Knoblich et al., (Eds). 2006. Human body perception from inside out. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [chapter 3, 4 & 5]
Holmes & Spence, (2006). The body schema and the multisensory representation(s) of peripersonal space. Cognitive processing.
Maravita, Spence & Driver, (2003). Multisensory Integration and the Body Schema: Close to Hand and Within Reach. Current Biology.
Maravita & Iriki, (2004). Tools for the body (schema). Trends in Cognitive Sciences.

Crossmodal plasticity and sensory deprivation
Gazzaniga et al. (2009) Cognitive Neuroscience; pages 101¿106; 202-203
Elbert & Rockstroh (2004) Reorganization of human cerebral cortex: the range of changes following use and injury. The Neuroscientist 10: 129-141
Ramachandran & Blakeslee (1998). Phantoms in the brain, Fourth Estate Limited
Noppeney (2007) The effects of visual deprivation on functional and structural organization of the human brain. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews 31: 1169-1180.

Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Not entered
KeywordsNot entered
Contacts
Course organiserDr Elena Gherri
Tel: (0131 6)50 3340
Email: Elena.Gherri@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMs Stephanie Fong
Tel: (0131 6)51 3733
Email: S.Fong@ed.ac.uk
Navigation
Help & Information
Home
Introduction
Glossary
Search DPTs and Courses
Regulations
Regulations
Degree Programmes
Introduction
Browse DPTs
Courses
Introduction
Humanities and Social Science
Science and Engineering
Medicine and Veterinary Medicine
Other Information
Combined Course Timetable
Prospectuses
Important Information