Cognition: the mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience and the senses. By definition, you are cognizing as you read these words. Interested in knowing more about this vital process? Douglas L. Medin, a cognitive psychologist whose main interests include concepts and classification learning, will give two presentations at Denison University. As the 2008 J.R. Kantor Memorial guest lecturer, he will speak on “The Cultural Construction of Nature” at 7:30 p.m., on Tuesday, March 25, in Slayter Auditorium (200 Ridge Road). The following day, the psychology department will sponsor a colloquium by Medin, “Decision Making When It Matters,” at 4:30 p.m., on Wednesday, March 26, in the Burton D. Morgan Lecture Hall (150 Ridge Road). Both programs are free and open to the public.

Medin’s recent research involves “with respect to culture and cognition … research on biological concepts among three groups in Petan, Guatemala, and among Native American, Amish, and majority-culture people in north-central Wisconsin.” He is a professor of psychology and education and director of the program in culture, language and cognition at Northwestern University.

The J.R. Kantor Memorial Lectureship in Psychology was established in honor and memory of J. R. Kantor (1888-1984), a well-known professor of psychology at Indiana University for 39 years, by his daughter, Helene J. Kantor, and close friend, Albert Haas. The lectureship strives to bring to Denison distinguished visiting psychologists whose work reflects the qualities Kantor demonstrated in his career: a commitment to scholarship; advanced thinking in psychology; and promotion of a scientific attitude for understanding the human condition.

Calendar Listing:

CALENDAR LISTING: Denison University, Granville—Douglas L. Medin, professor of psychology and education and director of the program in culture, language and cognition at Northwestern University presents “The Cultural Construction of Nature,” at 7:30 p.m., on Tues., March 25, in Slayter Auditorium (200 Ridge Road). Free and open to the public. Call 740-587-8195 to confirm information.

CALENDAR LISTING: Denison University, Granville—Douglas L. Medin, professor of psychology and education and director of the program in culture, language and cognition at Northwestern University presents “Decision Making When It Matters,” at 4:30 p.m., on Weds., March 26, in the Burton D. Morgan Lecture Hall (150 Ridge Road). Free and open to the public. Call 740-587-8195 to confirm information.

About Denison:

Denison University, founded in 1831, is an independent, residential liberal arts institution located in Granville, Ohio. A highly selective college enrolling 2,100 full-time undergraduate students from all 50 states and dozens of foreign countries, Denison is a place where innovative faculty and motivated students collaborate in rigorous scholarship, civic engagement and the cultivation of independent thinking.

For press inquiries:

Name

Barbara Stambaugh

Position Title

Director, Media Relations

Primary Email

stambaughb@denison.edu

Business Phone

(740) 587-8575