Psychology 2220A-650
Introduction to Behavioural and Cognitive Neuroscience
If there is a discrepancy between the outline posted below and the outline posted on the OWL course website, the latter shall prevail.
1.0 CALENDAR DESCRIPTION
Structure and function of the nervous system in relation to behaviour. The physiological basis of the major aspects of behaviour in human and other animals (principally mammals) will be covered, including: sensorimotor control, sleep and waking cycles, reproduction, ingestion, aggression, learning, memory, communication, and behavioural disorders. Some background in biology is desirable. This course is the normal prerequisite for Psychology 3285F/G.Antirequisite: Neuroscience 2000, Psychology 2221A/B
Antirequisites are courses that overlap sufficiently in content that only one can be taken for credit. So if you take a course that is an antirequisite to a course previously taken, you will lose credit for the earlier course, regardless of the grade achieved in the most recent course.
Prerequisite: At least 60% in a 1000 level Psychology course. The former Psychology 1200 and/or a background in biology is strongly recommended.
0.5 course
Unless you have either the prerequisites for this course or written special permission from your Dean to enroll in it, you may be removed from this course and it will be deleted from your record. This decision may not be appealed. You will receive no adjustment to your fees in the event that you are dropped from a course for failing to have the necessary prerequisites.
2.0 COURSE INFORMATION
Instructor: Caroline StrangOffice and Phone Number: SSC 7440
Office Hours: By appointment
Email: cstrang@uwo.ca
If you or someone you know is experiencing distress, there are several resources here at Western to assist you. Please visit: http://www.uwo.ca/uwocom/mentalhealth/ for more information on these resources and on mental health.
Please contact the course instructor if you require material in an alternate format or if you require any other arrangements to make this course more accessible to you. You may also wish to contact Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) at 519-661-2111 ext 82147 for any specific question regarding an accommodation.
3.0 TEXTBOOK
Required: Pinel, J. P. J. (2013). Biopsychology 9th edition. Pearson.4.0 COURSE OBJECTIVES
By the end of the course, students will be able to:a) To readily be able to communicate brain principles using the vocabulary acquired in this course.
b) To describe and apply the major principles of biopsychology including
1. Behaviour is caused by brain activity in conjunction with the environments.
2. Behaviour is determined by on-going events and previous experiences resulting in adaptable choices.
3. Biopsychology is a way of studying behaviour, not a body of knowledge. Researchers use specialized methods to examine the biology of behaviour. They interpret observations to draw conclusions that are revised following further investigations.
c) Use judgement to identify the most important information and integrate elements in biopsychology.
5.0 EVALUATION
Although the Psychology Department does not require instructors to adjust their course grades to conform to specific targets, the expectation is that course marks will be distributed around the following averages:
70% 1000-level and 2000-level courses
72% 2190-2990 level courses
75% 3000-level courses
80% 4000-level courses
The Psychology Department follows the University of Western Ontario grading guidelines, which are as follows (see http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/handbook/general/grades_undergrad.pdf):
A+ 90-100 One could scarcely expect better from a student at this level
A 80-89 Superior work that is clearly above average
B 70-79 Good work, meeting all requirements, and eminently satisfactory
C 60-69 Competent work, meeting requirements
D 50-59 Fair work, minimally acceptable
F below 50 Fail
|
Course Component |
Date |
Weight |
|
Quizzes |
Best 4/6 |
20% |
|
Midterm Exam |
Oct 17 |
35% |
|
Final Exam |
December Exam Period |
45% |
6.0 TEST AND EXAMINATION SCHEDULE
FINAL EXAM: The final exam will be non-cumulative. The format will be mostly multiple choice with some fill in the blank and labeling diagrams
QUIZZES: The quizzes will be worth 20% of the final grade. Students will complete six quizzes, their best four quizzes will contribute to their final grade, with each of the four counting for 5%. Quizzes will be done online through the OWL website. The quizzes will be open book and timed. Links to the quizzes will be accessible to students for one week (Monday-Friday).
7.0 CLASS SCHEDULE
Subject to change
Week 1 September 14-18: Introduction - Chapter 1
Evolution Genetics and Experience – Chapter 2
Week 2 September 21-25: Anatomy of the Nervous System - Chapter 3
Week 3 September 28 – October 2: Neural Conduction and Synaptic Transmission - Chapter 4
Quiz #1 – Chapter 4
Week 4 October 5-9: Research Methods in Biopsychology - Chapter 5
Quiz #2 – Chapter 5
Week 5 October 12-16: Vision & Perception – Chapters 6 & 7
MIDTERM October 17: Chapters 1-7, Lectures 1-7
Week 6 October 19-23: Development & Plasticity - Chapters 9 & 10
Quiz #3 – Chapters 9 & 10
FALL STUDY BREAK
Week 7 November 2-6: Learning & Memory - Chapter 11
Quiz #4 – Chapter 11
Week 8 November 9-13: Motivation - Chapters 12, 13, 15
Week 9 November 16-20: Motivation - Chapters 12, 13, 15
Week 10 November 23-27: Emotion – Chapter 17
Quiz #5 – Chapter 17
Week 11 November 30-December 4: Psychiatric Disorders – Chapter 18
Quiz #6 – Chapter 18
Week 12 December 7: Review – Chapters 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 17, 18
DECEMBER EXAM PERIOD – Final exam: Chapters 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 17& 18
8.0 STATEMENT ON ACADEMIC OFFENCES
Students are responsible for understanding the nature and avoiding the occurrence of plagiarism and other scholastic offenses. Plagiarism and cheating are considered very serious offenses because they undermine the integrity of research and education. Actions constituting a scholastic offense are described at the following link: http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/scholastic_discipline_undergrad.pdf
As of Sept. 1, 2009, the Department of Psychology will take the following steps to detect scholastic offenses. All multiple-choice tests and exams will be checked for similarities in the pattern of responses using reliable software, and records will be made of student seating locations in all tests and exams. All written assignments will be submitted to TurnItIn, a service designed to detect and deter plagiarism by comparing written material to over 5 billion pages of content located on the Internet or in TurnItIn’s databases. All papers submitted for such checking will be included as source documents in the reference database for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of papers subsequently submitted to the system. Use of the service is subject to the licensing agreement, currently between Western and Turnitin.com http://www.turnitin.com
Possible penalties for a scholastic offense include failure of the assignment, failure of the course, suspension from the University, and expulsion from the University.
9.0 POLICY ON ACCOMMODATION FOR MEDICAL ILLNESS
The University of Western Ontario’s policy on Accommodation for Medical Illness can be found at:
http://www.westerncalendar.uwo.ca/2015/pg117.html
Students must see the Academic Counsellor and submit all required documentation in order to be approved for certain accommodation:
http://counselling.ssc.uwo.ca/procedures/medical_accommodation.html
10.0 OTHER INFORMATION
Office of the Registrar web site: http://registrar.uwo.ca
Student Development Services web site: http://www.sdc.uwo.ca
Please see the Psychology Undergraduate web site for information on the following:
http://psychology.uwo.ca/undergraduate/student_responsibilities/index.html
- Policy on Cheating and Academic Misconduct
- Procedures for Appealing Academic Evaluations
- Policy on Attendance
- Policy Regarding Makeup Exams and Extensions of Deadlines
- Policy for Assignments
- Short Absences
- Extended Absences
- Documentation
- Academic Concerns
- 2015 Calendar References
No electronic devices, including cell phones, will be allowed during exams.
