Organizers: David R. Mandel and Robert N. Collins Moderator: Robert N. Collins (rncollinsphd@gmail.com) Symposia Abstract: Probability communications are commonplace in modern information- and uncertainty-rich societies. This symposium examines several cognitive effects of receiving communications about probability information in either numeric or verbal formats. In Presentation 1, Juanchich et al. examine the conversationally pragmatic assumption that the framing of verbal probabilities is taken as implicit advice that has implications for credibility assessments of the sender. In Presentation 2, also drawing on a pragmatic account, Collins and Mandel examine how probability format (i.e. verbal vs. numeric) affects inference about unstated recommendations and how these in turn affect decision-making. In Presentation 3, Teigen et al. examine the interpretation of the verbal probability “likely” and find that it is interpreted as the mode of a distribution; namely, as the “most likely” value. Finally, in Presentation 4, Mandel et al. examine accuracy across three formats (verbal, point numeric, and numeric ranges) on arithmetic tasks involving computation of averages and products.

Moderator: Aaron Johnson (aaron.johnson@concordia.ca)

Moderator: Veronica Whitford (veronica.whitford@unb.ca)

Organizer: Noah D. Forrin Moderator: Noah D. Forrin (forrinn@mcmaster.ca) Symposia Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic precipitated a wide-scale transition to online learning, impacting millions of postsecondary students worldwide. The first talk, presenting survey data from an undergraduate psychology course, elucidates an important issue: Following the shift to online learning, students perceive their attentiveness to have decreased. The subsequent talks examine associations between students’ attentiveness and key aspects of online lectures: lecture video speed, the visible presence (vs. absence) of the instructor, and the attentiveness of visible classmates. Lecture video speed can be increased without diminishing attentiveness (second talk). Students are less attentive when watching lecture videos with their peers, but similarly attentive regardless of whether the instructor is visible (third talk). And (in)attentive states can spread “contagiously” between students in a live online classroom (fourth talk). Together, these talks will advance knowledge of factors associated with attention and learning online and will discuss practical implications for instructors and students.

Moderator: Brendan Johns (brendan.johns@mcgill.ca)

Moderator: Sarah McCrackin (sarah.mccrackin@mail.mcgill.ca)

The Screen-Based Eye Tracking Demo by Tobii Pro This webinar will introduce the screen-based eye tracking solutions, software capabilities, and demonstrate a screen-based project with the eye tracking software Pro Lab. During the Q&A session, Tobii Pro’s eye tracking experts will answer any questions pertaining to your eye-tracking research. Registration link: https://bit.ly/3g0TtDG *** NOTE: This session will be run using GoToWebinar - to get the link for that, you must register at the link above! ***

Organizers: Erin Quirk, Lena Kremin, Krista Byers-Heinlein Moderator: Krista Byers-Heinlein (k.byers@concordia.ca) Symposia Abstract: Open science aims to make research more transparent, accessible, and reproducible. Many researchers understand and value these principles but may not know how to apply them to their own work. This symposium addresses a gap in open science discussions by offering practical suggestions for how researchers can incorporate open science practices into their research pipelines. Paper 1 describes how the ManyBabies consortium built a successful large-scale international collaboration with open science principles and practices at its foundation. Paper 2 introduces the use of open software tools for generating unbiased visual representations and conducting robust inferential statistics. Paper 3 gives a state of the art of open access initiatives in psychology and neuroscience with practical tips for how researchers can effectively use them. This symposium gives concrete steps for researchers to implement open science practices in cognitive psychology and brain science.

Organizers: Mehrgol Tiv & Debra Titone Moderators: Debra Titone (debra.titone@mcgill.ca) & Mehrgol Tiv (mehrgol.tiv@mail.mcgill.ca) Symposia Abstract: Often the scientific study of language occurs in a context-free vacuum. While this approach has shed light on many aspects of language processing, it does not reflect how language is actually used and understood in the real world. Real-world communication is often ambiguous – what exactly someone is trying to say is in no small part influenced by who is saying it, to whom, or in what context. Aside from the content of the utterance, real-world communication also conveys information about the speaker and is affected as well by the perceiver’s own language experience and conceptual representations. This process is further complicated by technological advances that allow non-human agents to use and understand language. How do we navigate these countless cues to find meaning? In this symposium our panel of four speakers will bring diverse perspectives to the question of how social information guides our understanding and perception of language.

Moderator: Ross Otto (ross.otto@mcgill.ca)

Moderator: Ron Borowsky (ron.borowsky@usask.ca)

Derek Besner, Ph.D., University of Waterloo Introduction: Evan Risko, University of Waterloo Visual Word Identification: Attention, Intention, and Contextual Control Various prominent computational accounts assume that visual word identification does not need any form of attention, nor an intention as a preliminary. Further, the fundamental processing dynamics in these models (interactive activation) are widely seen as unfolding in the same way across different contexts. I review some findings which lead me to a different conclusion. Visual word recognition (which, after all, is a necessary preliminary to reading comprehension) requires (i) spatial attention, and (ii) an additional form of attention, as well as several local homunculi (executive attention). It is not always intention free, and it is shaped by context in ways unanticipated by any extant model on the table. It is overdue for computational modelers to acknowledge that various findings currently languishing in relative obscurity should be treated as benchmarks. A few proposals for how we might think about some of these results are noted.

The Influence of Bilingualism on Cognition: A Tale of Two Cities 2:00 pm - 2:30 pm Montreal time - Ellen Bialystok, Ph.D., York University 2:30 pm - 3:00 pm Montreal time - Debra Titone, Ph.D., McGill University Introduction: William Hockley & Geneviève Desmarais

Organizers: Nicole Grant, April Pereira & Berkley Petersen Moderator: Berkley Petersen (berkley.petersen@mail.concordia.ca) Symposia Abstract: Healthy aging is associated with changes in cognitive, sensory, and motor functioning. Approximately one third of all older adults have some degree of hearing loss (HL); thus it is important to understand the underlying mechanisms linking HL to cognitive and postural performance as they are both key factors involved in everyday functioning. The three presenters will describe recent work that examines (1) the effects of HL on patterns of neural functioning and neurodegeneration (2) the role of cognitive status in moderating the association between pure-tone hearing thresholds and speech-in-noise reception thresholds, and (3) the effects of hearing status on cognitive-motor dual tasking, with the added consideration of vision loss. The objectives of the three presentations converge in underscoring the connections between cognitive status, cognitive load and performance on sensory and sensorimotor measures.

Moderator: Evan Risko (efrisko@uwaterloo.ca)

Moderator: Michelle Jarick (jarickm@macewan.ca)

Moderator: Penny Pexman (pexman@ucalgary.ca)

Moderator: Brendan Johns (brendan.johns@mcgill.ca)

Organizer: Sean A. Gilmore Moderator: Sean A. Gilmore (sean.gilmore@ryerson.ca) Symposia Abstract: The “motor-system” is a network of cortices generally contained – but not isolated to - dorsal parietal and basil ganglia regions of the brain. These regions have been classically defined by their association with motor-based processes and behaviours. However, over the years research has challenged the domain specificity of the motor system, examining the interconnectivity of these cortices and the role they play in non-motor processes. This symposium is aimed at providing a multidisciplinary approach to better understand the role of the motor system. This symposium will span across disciplines such as temporal auditory perception (Jessica Grahn); vocal memory advantages (Frank Russo) and the role of the cerebellum in visual attention (Christopher Striemer). Overall, each talk will present unique evidence for the role that classically defined “motor-systems” have non-motor functions.

Moderator: Effie Pereira (effie.pereira@uwaterloo.ca)

Moderator: Jonathan Fugelsang (jafugels@uwaterloo.ca)

Moderator: Virginia Penhune (virginia.penhune@concordia.ca)