PC4101 - Introduction to the Biological Bases of Behaviour (2018/19)
Module specification | Module approved to run in 2018/19 | |||||||||||||||
Module status | DELETED (This module is no longer running) | |||||||||||||||
Module title | Introduction to the Biological Bases of Behaviour | |||||||||||||||
Module level | Certificate (04) | |||||||||||||||
Credit rating for module | 10 | |||||||||||||||
School | School of Social Sciences | |||||||||||||||
Total study hours | 100 | |||||||||||||||
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Assessment components |
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Running in 2018/19(Please note that module timeslots are subject to change) |
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Module summary
This module introduces students to the study of the brain mechanisms underlying behaviour. The focus is on comparative and physiological approaches to behaviour and the mechanisms underlying the behavioural adaptations of organisms to their environment. Students are also introduced to animal experimentation and the collection, analysis and interpretation of neuroscientific data.
Syllabus
Topics will be drawn from:
• Organisations and functions of nervous and endocrine systems;
• Neural transmission and drug modulation;
• Regulation of feeding;
• Localisation of function and cerebral asymmetry;
• Arousal and sleep;
• Learning and memory;
• Genetics and evolution;
• Memory LO1,LO2,LO3
Balance of independent study and scheduled teaching activity
Lecturer-provided materials will be placed online. These will include lecture slides with accompanying audio, self-test materials, and – where available – online readings.
Learning outcomes
On successful completion of this module the student will be able to:
1. describe conceptual issues in biological psychology and the history of its development;
2. identify the operating principles of the brain and of the physiological and behavioural mechanisms involved in adaptations to the environment;
3. explain the meaning of data derived from animal and human experiments.
Assessment strategy
Formative feedback will be available in the form of: (a) comments on mid-term short-answer questions, and (b) automated responses to non-summative multiple-choice questions.
Bibliography
CORE
Martin, G.N., Carlson, M.R., & Buskist, W. (2011). Psychology (fourth edition). London: Pearson. [This book is available online via the library’s electronic catalogue]
ADDITIONAL
Davey, G. (Ed.) (2008). Complete Psychology (second edition). Oxford: Hodder Education.