Psy403 - 4 sh

Experimental Psychology: Biopsychology

This course is designed to survey a variety of topics of primary interest and importance to Psychology from a comparative, physiological viewpoint. As such the course will examine methodology, instrumentation, and current research involved in a neurophysiological approach used in investigating behavioral processes.

Psychology 290

The broad field of Physiological Psychology and the extent to which it relies and relates to other neurosciences support the importance that it is gaining as a discipline. The intricate role that the brain and CNS play in controlling the nature of human behavior suggest applications in our understanding of the behavior of the human.

1. To provide the student with an understanding of the physiological and biological mechanisms that underlie behavior.
2. To provide basic concepts concerning research, methodology, and theory as they are integrated within a broad exposure to a variety of problem areas.
3. To introduce through laboratory demonstrations and exercises the methods and techniques used in research in neuropsychology.
4. To give the student an opportunity to independently design, execute, and report a research project involving a comparative or physiological problem in the student's area of interest.
5. To improve the students written communication skills throughout the development and completion of a written report of the major project. Drafts will be submitted in the form of proposals, evaluated in terms of content, organization, mechanical correctness, and expression. Corrective feedback will be provided with the individual conferences as needed, prior to the student's preparation of the final course project report.

1. Overview
2. Anatomy and Function
3. Neural Conduction
4. Chemistry Processes
5. Sensory Processes
6. Perception
7. Motivation
8. Sleep and Dreaming
9. Emotion
10. Psychopathology
11. Learning and Memory

Lecture, discussion, laboratory demonstrations and exercise, and independent research projects will be combined in the instructional effort. A major course project with a written proposal and final project report will be included.

See sections VIII and X.

The student will be evaluated on the performance on class tests, participation in class and laboratory activities, performance in major project activities, and written reports.

No additional resources needed.

Bridgeman, B. (1988). The Biology of Behavior and Mind. New York: Wiley and Co.

Carlson, N. R. (1994). Foundations of Physiological Psychology (3rd ed.). Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole Publishers.

Field, J., Magoun, H. W., & Hall, V. E. (Eds.). (1969). Handbook of Physiology, (Vols., I, II, & III). Washington, DC: American Physiological Society.

Galluscio, E. H. (1990). Biological Psychology. New York: Macmillan.

Hart, B. L. (1969). Experimental Neuropsychology: A Laboratory Manual. San Francisco: Freeman.

Hart, B. L. (1969). Experimental Psychobiology. San Francisco: Freeman.

Hoyenga, K. B., & Hoyenga, K. T. (1988). Psychobiology: The Neuron and Behavior. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole Publishers.

Kalat, J. W. (1995). Biological Psychology (5th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishers.

Kimble, D. P. (1988). Biological Psychology. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.

Kolb, B., & Whishaw, I. Q. (1985). Fundamentals of human Neuropsychology (2nd ed.). New York: Freeman.

Kristal, M. B. (1990). A Guide to the Brain: A Graphic Workbook. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Pineal, J. P. J. (1993) Biopsychology (2nd ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Rosenzweig, M. R., & Leiman, A. L. (1989). Physiological psychology (2nd ed.). New York: Random House.

Schneider, A. M., & Tarshis, B. (1986). Introduction to Physiological psychology (3rd ed.). New York: Random House.

Snyder, S. H. (1986). Drugs and the Brain. New York: Freeman.

Springer, S. P., & Deutsch, G. (1985). Left Brain, Right Brain (Rev.). New York: Freeman.

Thompson, R. F. (1993). ~ Brain: 8 Neuroscience Primer (2nd ed.). New York: Freeman.

Wellman, P. J. (1986). Laboratory Exercises in Physiological Psychology. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.