Psychology B1b-- Biological Psychology

Fall 2017

Professor: Dr. Ginger M. LeBlanc
Office: LA 215B; Phone: 395-4513
MTWR9:30-10:15 amand by appointment
Email: Website: www2.bakersfieldcollege.edu/gleblanc
Emergency: 395-4554

Course Description (2016-2017 Catalog):Ethical standards and current research methodologies for studying brain behavior relationships and mental processes in all life forms: Emphasis placed on using empirical analysis to understand and solve problems related to mechanisms underlying neural conduction and synaptic transmission, sensory and perceptual systems, plasticity, and brain damage, development, learning and memory, hunger, sex, drug use, sleep, lateralization of function and psychological disorders. Recommended: Reading and Writing- 1 level prior to transfer.

Required Textbook: Discovering Behavioral Neuroscience: An Introduction to Biological Psychology, (Laura Freberg, 3rd Edition) ISBN:978-1-305-08870-2

Learning Outcomes:

A. Identify ethical standards and current research methodologies in the field of biological psychology
B. Identify and differentiate structures and processes involved in neural conduction and synaptic transmission
C. Explain the central nervous systems involvement in sensory and perceptual systems, plasticity, brain damage, development, learning, memory, hunger, sex, drug use, sleep, lateralization of function and psychological disorders

Student Responsibilities:

1.“Early is on-time, on-time is late.”Are there any questions?

2.Be actively involved in the class. This means listening to lecture, asking questions, participating in discussion, and thinking about how the information applies to examples in the real-world.

3.Test yourself regularly. Do not wait until the end of the chapter or the end of the week to check your knowledge. If you are having trouble, get your questions answered immediately or schedule an appointment with the instructor.

4. If you arrive more than 10 minutes late to an exam you will not be allowed to take it and will earn a zero.

Assessment (Grading) Tools:

Components Points

Exams (4 @ 50 pts. ea.) 200

Final Exam 50

Assignments 30

Research Reports 30

Total 310

Students with disabilities: "Students with disabilities who believe they may need accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact Disabled Student Programs & Services located at Student Services Building, 1st Floor, Counseling Center (661-395-4334), as soon as possible to better ensure such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion."

Specific Course Components:

Exams:There will be five unit exams throughout the course. The exams will be based on information presented in class, cooperative learning exercises, textbook and other readings, and videos. They will be primarily multiple-choice, short-answer and essay. You will need six scantrons: Apperson DataLink 1200. Arriving to the exam 10 minutes or more will result in not being able to take the test. Furthermore, if a student finishes a test no late students may take the exam.

  • Research Papers: These writing assignments are designed to 1) extend and deepen an understanding of the topic 2) expose you to professional scholarly products within the field of psychology 3) facilitate writing that is appropriate in style and formation within the field of psychology. All written work in this course must conform to American Psychological Association (APA) guidelines.
  • Assignments: The assignments will vary from answering questions posed by Dr. LeBlanc, watching relevant videos and discussing content with other students, to participating in psychological demonstrations and explaining the results based on learning derived from the course. More information will be given as the course begins.
  • Academic Honesty:“pla∙gi‌‌‌‌‌‌׀a∙ize (plā´jə rīz´; -jē ə-) to take (ideas, writings, etc.) from (another) and pass them off as

one’s own.” (Neufeldt, V. (Ed.). (1988).Webster’s new world dictionary. New York: Webster’s New World.)

Plagiarism occurs when you use the exact written or spoken words, a summary of written or spoken words, and/or the ideas that someone else has produced without giving the original author credit. When you use another author’s material you must give that person credit by indicating the source of the material in your textand in the reference section. Buying a paper or having someone write your paper is also considered plagiarism. A plagiarized paper will receive no (0%) credit.

Tentative Schedule (note: Professor reserves the right to make changes in the schedule)

Date / Topic / Reading
Weeks 1-3
Exam 1 / What is Behavioral Neuroscience?
Functional Neuroanatomy and the Evolution of the Nervous System / Chap. 1
Chap. 2
Weeks 4-6
Exam 2 / Neurophysiology: The Structure and Functions of the Cells of the Nervous System
Psychopharmacology / Chap. 3 (Research Paper 1)
Chap. 4
Weeks 7-9
Exam 3 / Genetics and Development of the Human Brain
Vision & Nonvisual Sensation and Perception
Movement
Homeostasis and Motivation
Sexual Behavior / Chap. 5
Chap. 6 & 7 (Research Paper 2)
Chap. 8
Chap. 9
Chap. 10
Weeks 10-12
Exam 4 / Sleep and Waking
Learning and Memory
Lateralization / Chap. 11
Chap. 12
Chap. 13 (Research Paper 3)
Weeks 13-15
Exam 5 / Emotion, Reward, Aggression and Stress
Neuropsychology
Psychopathology / Chap. 14
Chap. 15
Chap. 16
Week 16
Final Exam / Comprehensive: All Chapters