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Foundations of Neuroscience

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Foundations of Neuroscience

This course is part of Neuromarketing Specialization

9,364 already enrolled

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Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
4.5

42 reviews

Intermediate level

Recommended experience

2 weeks to complete
at 10 hours a week
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
4.5

42 reviews

Intermediate level

Recommended experience

2 weeks to complete
at 10 hours a week
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

  • Understand neural anatomy, key brain regions, and their roles in influence, persuasion, sensory perception, and executive function.

  • Analyze sensory systems and perception phenomena, including top-down and bottom-up processing, with applications to influence campaigns.

  • Examine memory processes such as declarative, procedural, and priming, and their role in cognitive tasks like engagement, attention, and workload.

  • Evaluate emotional processing and decision-making theories, comparing System 1 and System 2 responses using neuroscience measurement techniques.

Details to know

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Assessments

12 assignments

Taught in English

Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is part of the Neuromarketing Specialization
When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.
  • Learn new concepts from industry experts
  • Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
  • Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
  • Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 5 modules in this course

The course "Foundations of Neuroscience" delves into the neural and biological foundations of influence and persuasion, providing a comprehensive understanding of how the brain processes sensory, emotional, and cognitive information. You will explore key brain regions and their role in decision-making, memory, attention, and emotion, essential for effective communication strategies. By gaining hands-on experience with neuroscience measurement techniques, you will learn to assess the impact of influence campaigns through implicit and explicit methods.

What sets this course apart is its focus on bridging neuroscience with practical applications in neuromarketing. By studying real-world case studies, you will gain the skills to evaluate and design more effective influence strategies. Whether you're in marketing, advertising, or behavioral science, this course equips you with the knowledge to better understand consumer behavior and tailor marketing efforts for maximum impact. You'll leave with a deep understanding of how to apply cutting-edge neuroscience principles to real-world influence campaigns, making this course a unique and invaluable resource for anyone in the field.

This course explores the neural and biological foundations of influence and persuasion, focusing on key brain regions, sensory systems, and emotional processing. Learners will examine cognitive processes like attention, memory, and decision-making, and how these relate to persuasive communication. The course also covers the role of sensory perception phenomena and the impact of emotional responses on behavior. Learners will gain practical skills in evaluating influence campaigns using neuroscience measurement techniques. Through case studies and hands-on assessments, students will apply these insights to real-world scenarios.

What's included

2 readings1 plugin

2 readingsβ€’Total 15 minutes
  • Course Overviewβ€’10 minutes
  • Instructor Biography: Dr. Jennifer McKneelyβ€’5 minutes
1 pluginβ€’Total 4 minutes
  • Instructor Biography: Dr. Ian McCullohβ€’4 minutes

This module will explore neural anatomy and brain function. Specific attention is focused on the pre-frontal cortex responsible for executive function. This module requires more memorization than other modules in the course, but is necessary to develop fluency of brain anatomy and functions so that future modules are more effective.

What's included

6 videos3 readings3 assignments

6 videosβ€’Total 63 minutes
  • Neuromarketingβ€’13 minutes
  • Brain Cellsβ€’5 minutes
  • Brain Anatomyβ€’11 minutes
  • Frontal Cortexβ€’7 minutes
  • Neural Anatomy - Social Influence - Part 1β€’16 minutes
  • Neural Anatomy - Social Influence - Part 2β€’10 minutes
3 readingsβ€’Total 60 minutes
  • Reading Referencesβ€’10 minutes
  • Reading Referencesβ€’10 minutes
  • Self-Reflective Reading: Exploring the Social Brain: Neural Connections, Support, and Behaviorβ€’40 minutes
3 assignmentsβ€’Total 90 minutes
  • Neural Anatomyβ€’60 minutes
  • The Mind Behind Marketing: Exploring Neuromarketing and Brain Anatomyβ€’15 minutes
  • Mind Matters: The Frontal Cortex and Social Influenceβ€’15 minutes

This module provides an overview of perception and cognition. Key theories will include top-down and bottom-up processing. The module will emphasize visual, auditory, and olfactory processing in the brain and its relation to influence and attention.

What's included

5 videos1 reading3 assignments

5 videosβ€’Total 37 minutes
  • Sensation and Perceptionβ€’5 minutes
  • Visual Systemβ€’11 minutes
  • Auditory Systemβ€’8 minutes
  • Olfactory Systemβ€’6 minutes
  • Tasteβ€’7 minutes
1 readingβ€’Total 60 minutes
  • Reading Referencesβ€’60 minutes
3 assignmentsβ€’Total 90 minutes
  • Sensation and Perceptionβ€’60 minutes
  • Seeing the World: An Introduction to Sensation and Perceptionβ€’15 minutes
  • The Senses: Exploring Hearing, Smell, and Tasteβ€’15 minutes

This module delves into the intricacies of human information processing and its role in influence. Learners will explore core cognitive processesβ€”attention, engagement, working memory, and workloadβ€”while distinguishing between implicit and explicit measurement methods.

What's included

5 videos1 reading3 assignments

5 videosβ€’Total 49 minutes
  • Information Processing, Attention, and Memoryβ€’10 minutes
  • Top-Down Attentionβ€’7 minutes
  • Bottom-Up Attentionβ€’6 minutes
  • Attention Bias and Measurementβ€’8 minutes
  • Memoryβ€’18 minutes
1 readingβ€’Total 100 minutes
  • Reading Referencesβ€’100 minutes
3 assignmentsβ€’Total 90 minutes
  • Memoryβ€’60 minutes
  • Understanding Human Cognition: From Information Processing to Memoryβ€’15 minutes
  • The Essentials of Learning: Attention, Memory, and Beyondβ€’15 minutes

In this module, you'll explore the brain structures that support different memory processes. You'll also dive into topics like declarative and non-declarative memory, procedural memory, and priming, along with an introduction to how encoding and retrieval work.

What's included

5 videos1 reading3 assignments

5 videosβ€’Total 53 minutes
  • Emotions and Decision-Makingβ€’9 minutes
  • Measuring Emotionsβ€’6 minutes
  • Examples of Emotions Influence/Marketingβ€’14 minutes
  • Decision Makingβ€’10 minutes
  • Factors Impacting Decision Makingβ€’14 minutes
1 readingβ€’Total 125 minutes
  • Reading Referencesβ€’125 minutes
3 assignmentsβ€’Total 90 minutes
  • Emotionβ€’60 minutes
  • Emotions in Action: Understanding and Measuring Decision-Makingβ€’15 minutes
  • The Dynamics of Decision Making: Key Influences and Factorsβ€’15 minutes

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Instructors

Instructor ratings
4.3 (5 ratings)
Johns Hopkins University
17 Coursesβ€’29,967 learners
Johns Hopkins University
3 Coursesβ€’10,513 learners

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Reviewed on Jan 31, 2026

Although this course focuses on Marketing, I found this material relevant for understanding the foundations of Neuroscience

Frequently asked questions

To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.

When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.

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