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An introduction to the research questions, concepts, theories, methods, and findings of psychological science. Although the selection varies with instructor, topics include brain function, psychological testing, sensation and perception, cognition (learning, memory, language), states of consciousness, motivation, human development, personality, origins and treatment of disorders, social behavior, stress and health, and applied psychology (workplace, community, environment). This course fulfills the Social Analysis requirement in the core curriculum.
An examination of brain systems that subserve human behavior. Topics include: human development, consciousness, social behavior, cognition, emotion and abnormal behavior. Prerequisite: PSYC 111
Research designs and problems, with emphasis on operationalization of concepts, development of hypotheses, specific research designs, sources of error, literature reviews, data collection, data analysis and use of APA format. Prerequisites: PSYC 111 and STAT 220 (QMCS 220 or IDTH 220) View Online Printable Schedule
Research designs and problems, with emphasis on operationalization of concepts, development of hypotheses, specific research designs, sources of error, literature reviews, data collection, data analysis and use of APA format. Prerequisites: PSYC 111 and STAT 220 (QMCS 220 or IDTH 220) View Online Printable Schedule
An examination of brain systems that subserve human behavior. Topics include: human development, consciousness, social behavior, cognition, emotion and abnormal behavior. Prerequisite: PSYC 111
This course will provide an overview of cognitive processes, the processes that collectively comprise what is commonly termed "thinking." Topics discussed will include perception, attention, remembering, language, problem solving, reasoning, and social cognition. The course will focus on how these processes operate in everyday situations, as well as empirical (laboratory) investigations of these processes. Connections between cognitive psychology and other areas of psychology (e.g., clinical, biological) will also be discussed. Prerequisite: PSYC 111
Research Interests
Vision science
Visual Impairment
Low Vision
Spatial Navigation
Computational modeling of early vision
Cognitive analysis of graphical displays
Cognitive analysis of human-machine interaction
Computational Neuroscience
Typography, Reading, and Vision
Academic History
PhD, Cognitive & Biological Psychology, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. Dissertation: Preneural factors limiting letter identification performance in central and peripheral vision. Advisor: Gordon E. Legge
M.S. Biophysical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. Advisors: Otto H. Schmitt & Russell K. Hobbie.
B.A., Physics, St. Mary's College, Winona, MN
Previous positions
Staff & Post-Doctoral Research Associate, Minnesota Laboratory for Low Vision Research (Visual Impairment, Reading, and Spatial Navigation)
Senior Scientist, Pillsbury R&D (Modeling of color production in food systems)
Lead Scientist, Medtronic Applied Concepts Research. (Implantable device development, at home cardiac monitoring systems)
Selected Publications
Beckmann, P.J., Legge, G.E., Kallie, C., Thompson, W. (2011) Validation of Image Filters for Studies of Visual Accessibility. Fall Vision Meeting of the Optical Society of America, Seattle, WA.
Beckmann, P.J. (2010) The Psychology of Graphics, in Sustainable Graphic Design, Jedlicka, W. (ed.), John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, NJ.
Beckmann, P.J. and Legge, G.E. (2002). Preneural limitations on letter identification in central and peripheral vision. Journal of the Optical Society A (19). 2349-2462.
Beckmann, P.J. and Legge, G.E. (1996) Psychophysics of Reading XIV: The page-navigation problem in using magnifiers. Vision Research (36) 3723-3733.
Beckmann, P.J., Legge, G.E., and Luebker, A. (1991) Reading: Letters, words and their spatial-frequency content. Society for Information Display Technical Digest.
Beckmann, P.J., (1982) Real-time firmware design for an implantable microprocessor-based device. Proceedings of the 10th Northeast Bioengineering Conference, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH.
Professional Memberships
Society for Neuroscience
Psi Chi
Sigma Pi Sigma
Usability Professionals Association
U.S. Patents
Tachyarrythmia Pacer 4,493,325, February 15, 1984, assigned to Medtronic, Inc.
EKG Telemetry Base Station 4,751,725, June 14, 1988, assigned to Medtronic, Inc.
Process of Forming a Microwaveable Food Product Having a Selected Color 5,073,392, December 17, 1991, assigned to The Pillsbury Company
Process for Microwave Browning 5,108,770, April 28, 1992, assigned to The Pillsbury Company
