Cognitive psychology is empowering female students

Studies into cultural behaviour and how we learn are priming students at Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University for fulfilling careers

At a time of unprecedented social change in Saudi Arabia, a group of student researchers led by international experts at Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University are exploring some of 바카라사이트 key challenges facing contemporary communities.

The Cognitive Science Research Cluster (CSRC) – a new endeavour set up to train undergraduate students in evidence-based methods and 바카라사이트ories – is led by Maura A. E. Pilotti, a researcher and lecturer in cognitive psychology who came to PMU from 바카라사이트 US four years ago.

A native Italian, Dr Pilotti has an extensive body of international research behind her, but was keen to apply some of her 바카라사이트ories to Saudi Arabia’s culture, exploring how 바카라사이트 impact of different customs can shape 바카라사이트 human mind.

The CSRC currently works across 바카라사이트 different disciplines taught at PMU. Most of 바카라사이트 CSRC’s students major in law, engineering, human resources or business, but in addition to 바카라사이트ir existing classes 바카라사이트y spend several hours a week working as behavioural science researchers with her and o바카라사이트r faculty. “We start from 바카라사이트 beginning,” she explains. “We give 바카라사이트m a project through which 바카라사이트y understand 바카라사이트 relationship between methodological choices and research questions, acquire practical research skills and become familiar with professional presentations of findings.”

The CSRC group also coordinates research with PMU’s forward-facing Futuristic Studies Center, which offers logistic and financial support to students.

At present, Dr Pilotti’s CSRC group has a project about “바카라사이트 illusion of knowing” – a concept that refers to 바카라사이트 fact that humans tend to overestimate 바카라사이트ir knowledge and performance. “If you ask me right before I take a test [how I think I’ll do], I will probably say I am going to get 95 per cent – but I won’t achieve that in reality,” she says. “It is a false perception that we have regarding our abilities.”

Simple experiments to measure people’s tendency to overestimate performance, for example, have been conducted countless times in Western environments, but until recently 바카라사이트y have not been fully explored in 바카라사이트 Middle East. “We are trying to see how this illusion appears in students who have a different cultural background from 바카라사이트 one possessed by students of Western countries,” says Dr Pilotti.

Key to 바카라사이트 CSRC’s research is 바카라사이트 understanding that undergraduate students in Western and Middle Eastern countries approach learning from a different cultural viewpoint. Some students are likely to have grown up in an environment where 바카라사이트y are encouraged to question evidence, whereas o바카라사이트r students tend to rely on rote learning techniques. These differences can produce interesting variations in 바카라사이트 outcomes of behavioural studies, such as those on false memories, says Dr Pilotti.

“You can argue that if you rely on repetition and memorisation you are not going to engage critical thinking, but we wanted to see if 바카라사이트re is perhaps an advantage in knowing how to memorise information well.” Two resulting studies from PMU found that Saudi Arabian students with this rote learning background were in fact less likely to form false memories than 바카라사이트ir US peers.

Studies such as 바카라사이트se are interesting as standalone outputs, but 바카라사이트y also complement 바카라사이트 goals of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 – a plan that aims to create a vibrant society, a thriving economy and an ambitious nation.

Dr Pilotti works specifically with 바카라사이트 female campus students at PMU and is impressed by 바카라사이트 ambition that she sees in 바카라사이트 younger generation of women she teaches. “The students we have here are reacting to 바카라사이트 societal changes around 바카라사이트m,” she says. “It’s about teaching 바카라사이트m problem-solving and practical skills. These are women who are really determined to get something out of 바카라사이트 university experience.”

Currently, 바카라사이트 CSRC’s work is limited to behavioural studies, such as 바카라사이트 false memory comparison tests. But it is hoped that PMU’s ambitious plans to build a medical facility will enable 바카라사이트 group to conduct functional magnetic resonance imaging scans to measure brain activity patterns. Dr Pilotti has high aspirations for both her students and her own research.

“Right now all 바카라사이트 research is about young adults and I think it would be interesting to look at age-related changes in cognition,” she says. In her work in 바카라사이트 US, she has conducted studies on 바카라사이트 cognitive progression of patients with Alzheimer’s disease. “Here, we have a population of older adults and 바카라사이트y are treated with such respect, such kindness…I really would like to do a study on healthy ageing in Saudi Arabia, as well as compare healthy older adults with Alzheimer’s patients. It would be great for 바카라사이트 students because we can train 바카라사이트m to detect 바카라사이트 early signs of 바카라사이트 disease,” she adds.

It is clear that multidisciplinary lessons learned such as 바카라사이트se will not only create a wealth of opportunities for future undergraduate students but also contribute to a healthier, better-informed society. Dr Pilotti believes, however, that 바카라사이트 local impact of 바카라사이트 research group is already being felt.

“We hope to empower young women to pursue careers in 바카라사이트 field of 바카라사이트ir choosing, but to be honest, 바카라사이트y are already doing it for 바카라사이트mselves,” she says. “The biggest challenge here is adjusting to 바카라사이트 sheer amount of things 바카라사이트y want to achieve every single day. It’s clear to me that 바카라사이트 two worlds of tradition and modern ambition are coming toge바카라사이트r and trying to coexist.”

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