Hamilton College offers undergraduates a strong program in experimental psychology and related areas of cognitive science. Students engage in increasingly sophisticated scientific work in their courses, independent studies, and senior projects. The proposed ILI project will enhance this experience in Cognition and related areas (Linguistics, Computer Science, and Music) by providing a Macintosh computer laboratory for the cognitive courses that will also serve as a center for cognitive study to promote interdisciplinary study on campus. To complement the hardware we will develop flexible tools for student research using Psyscope, a newly-developed program for experimental control. New equipment will permit significant revisions of the curriculum in advanced cognitive courses and independent research. Improvements in resources will also allow students in psychology and related fields at Hamilton and elsewhere to engage in progressively more sophisticated and independent scientific projects, and help to ignite enthusiasm for pursuing careers in science.
