General Objectives

The object of study of organizational neuroscience-a discipline so new that it has no defined epistemological status-is the role of physiological and neural processes in the dynamics of groups and organizations. The course introduces the field of organizational neuroscience within the broader framework of social neuroscience, examining research techniques typical of social and cognitive neuroscience (EEG, fMRI, systems for recording movement kinematics, neurofeedback) and describing their application to organizational and work contexts (decision making, emotional and empathic processes, inter-individual and inter-group interactions).

Specific Objectives.

Students will  learn about the current debate on the epistemological foundations of an unconsolidated discipline such as organizational neuroscience and the role of individual physiological and neural processes in interactions between dyads, groups and organizations.

The student will be able to generalize the specific knowledge acquired during the course to the study of the same processes explored in different scientific fields (e.g., social psychology, decision theory, economics).

An integral part of the course is the required participation of all students in the discussion concerning specific topics introduced by the lecturer. This approach will prompt students to develop the ability to seek alternative explanations and interpretations to the dominant ones.

Communication skills

The course includes collective classroom discussion of scientific articles in which each student is expected to participate. This approach will lead each student to evaluate the effects of his or her communication skills and to improve them through exchange with peers and the supervisor.

Learning skills

Students will be able to read and critically discuss scientific articles of a specialized nature (specific articles concerning a given topic). Therefore, the ability to learn specialized notions regarding specific topics will be required.