Introduction to Psychobiology
Psychology 24
Winter 2014
Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday 12:30-1:20 in room L27
Call # 01887
Section # 02
Instructor: Shannon Hassett
Office: Forum 6F
Office Hours: Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday 10:20-11:20am
Office Phone #: (408) 864-8297
E-mail: hassettshannon@deanza.edu (Emails: Due to the large number of students I
serve, my ability to answer individual questions by email is EXTREMELY limited.
Please ask questions before, during or after class or during my office hours.) Please do
not e-mail me that you have missed class unless you have missed an exam, have missed a
class in the first two weeks of the quarter, or have missed four classes and have a valid
excuse (i.e., hospitalization, death of a loved one).
Webpage:http://www.deanza.edu/faculty/hassettshannon/psych24/index.html (Exam
Study Guides, Project Guidelines & Extra Credit can be found here).
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Required Text: Discovering Biological Psychology, 2nd Edition. Freberg, Cengage, 2009.
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Lab Materials: * Note: lab materials are per two people (except for latex gloves and face
mask)
Single blade razor blade, cuticle stick, wide-mouth plastic jar (such as a peanut butter
jar), latex gloves, face mask, 20 inches of dental floss
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**Advisory: You MUST have taken Psych 1 prior to this course, and it is highly
recommended that you have taken other Psychology and/or Biology courses as well.
I expect college-level writing, so be sure you are at this level, prior to taking this
course.
Course Description:
A survey of the central and peripheral nervous system processes underlying both normal
and abnormal behavior, with an emphasis on sensation & perception, motivation, sexual
behavior, sleep, learning & memory and emotion.
Student Learning Outcomes:
As a result of taking this class, you should be able to:
1) Recognize and explain the research methods used specifically in psychobiological
investigations and be able to understand when each is used and for what purpose
2) Demonstrate the role of evolutionary, genetic, anatomical, neurological, electrical and
chemical processes that form the biological basis of behavior
3) Demonstrate understanding of the major structures and the principles underlying
sensation and perception, with an emphasis on the visual, auditory and somatosensory
systems
4) Identify the major structures and functions of the brain
Course Format:
This course will be presented in a lecture and discussion format, with videos & a sheep
brain dissection lab.
Basic Instructions for all turned in work:
The group project will be turned in at the beginning of class on the due date (March 13th).
Five points will be deducted for projects turned in after class has begun. Projects will be
marked down 10 points for every 24-hour period of time after the due date. Projects will
also be submitted to TurnItIn.com.
Performance Evaluations:
1) Four pop quizzes will be given throughout the quarter. They will be given at the
beginning or the end of class. You must be present during the time allotted for the
quizzes in order to take them. There are NO make-up quizzes. They will be worth 5
points each and will cover material covered in class and/or in the book. You will
need to purchase 4 of the small scantrons and a pencil and have them with you during
each class starting the second week of class.
2) Three exams will be given throughout the quarter. The first two exams will consist of
multiple-choice and short answer questions. The first part of the final will be
multiple-choice. These exams will cover the text, lectures and videos with an
emphasis on lectures. The exams will be worth 60 points. The second part of the
final will require you to identify different structures of the sheep brain. The lab test
will be worth 20 points. You will need a scantron (#2052, the long, brown form) and
a # 2 pencil for the exams, so come prepared. You are allowed to make-up one exam
IF you miss a regularly scheduled exam (this only applies to the first two exams).
You must notify me by one day after the scheduled exam to be able to take the makeup. Failure to take an exam (in class or a scheduled make-up) will result in you being
dropped, if it is before the drop deadline. Failure to take the final will result in a
failing grade in the course. Please be forewarned that the make-up exam is more
difficult than the regularly scheduled exam. You will need to take the make up
during my office hours.
3) There will be one group project in this course. It will be worth 70 points total.
Details are posted on my faculty webpage under the Psych24 link.
4) Class participation will be worth 10 points. Participation will be based on your class
attendance and participating in class discussions and activities. Missing class will
negatively impact your participation points.
5) Extra credit will be announced in class. You may earn no more than 10 points.
Grades:
Grades will be calculated on the points you earned during the term, plus any extra credit.
The total points possible are 300.
A= at least 90% (270+)
B= at least 80% (240-269 points)
C= at least 70% (210-239 points)
D= at least 60% (180-209 points)
F= below 60% (less than 180 points)
Note: On the next page you are given a place to keep your grades, which enables you to
monitor your performance in this class.
*The California Community College Board of Governors recently passed revisions to
Title 5 regarding course repetition. “Students may enroll in a course only three (3)
times if they received a substandard grade (D, F, NP or NC) or withdrew from a class
with a "W."”
Your Personal Grade Record
Quizzes:
1. ____/5 points
2. ____/5 points
3. ____/5 points
4. ____/5 points
Exams:
1. ____/60 points
2. ____/60 points
3. ____/60 points
Participation: ____/10 points
Project: ____/70 points
Lab Exam: ____/20 points
Extra Credit: ____/10
Class Attendance:
Attendance is required. It is your responsibility to sign the roll sheet. You are allowed to
miss a maximum of four class sessions. If you miss more than four class sessions you
may be dropped. Please see the catalog for dropping procedures, as it is up to you to
drop; otherwise you may end up with an “F” instead of a “W”.
If you will be late to class, please do not enter class any later than 12:40 or you will be
asked to leave and this will count as an absence. It is very disruptive to your classmates
and will not be tolerated. It is your responsibility to be in class and on time.
Responsibility and Respect
* If you miss a class it is your responsibility to get the notes from a classmate; I do NOT
give out my notes. Be sure to follow the schedule in the syllabus to see what we will be
covering that day. Missing a class does not excuse you from turning in assignments or
missing an exam.
*Please come prepared to class every day to take notes. Please don’t get up to sharpen
pencils, etc while class is in session. .
***PLEASE shut off (and keep off) ALL electronic devices (this includes, but is not
limited to laptops, ipads, cell phones and mp3 players) while class is in session, as it is
very distracting to you as a student as well as to others. All of these devices need to be
put away in your backpack and must remain there until class is over. If it becomes a
problem, I will ask you to leave class and this will count as an absence.
*Please be respectful to everyone in the class by using appropriate language and
appropriate topics of discussion. If you do not abide by these rules you may be dropped
from the class.
* I encourage and expect class participation, but I want every student to feel that he/she
has the opportunity to participate. I will not allow a few students to dominate
discussions.
****PLEASE do not call or e-mail me that you are going to miss class or have missed
class, unless you have missed an exam or have missed a class within the first two weeks
of the quarter or have missed four classes and have a valid excuse. Please e-mail me
only if you have a situation that needs to be addressed & you cannot get a hold of me
during my office hours. Each quarter I have roughly 300 students. PLEASE keep this in
mind when e-mailing me. If you do e-mail me, please include a subject line that states
what class you are in; otherwise it will be deleted.
Academic Integrity:
I expect that all students will act in accordance with the De Anza Code of Conduct Policy
(http://www.deanza.edu/studenthandbook/pdf/studentrights.pdf, p.11-14) Academic
dishonesty, cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated. If you are caught cheating or
plagiarizing you will fail the exam/assignment and will not be allowed to make it up.
Your name will also be forwarded to the student disciplinarian officer, and she/he may
take further action.
Helpful Links for Student Success
Tutoring & Writing Center: http://www.deanza.edu/studentsuccess/
Disability Support Programs & Services: http://www.deanza.edu/dsps/
Counseling & Advising Center: http://www.deanza.edu/counseling/
Psychological Services: http://www.deanza.edu/psychologicalservices/
Health Services: http://www.deanza.edu/healthservices/
Tentative Schedule of Assignments and Important Dates
Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Topic
Chapter
Introduction to course
Introducing Biological Psychology
1
The Anatomy of the Nervous System
2
No Class (Holiday)
The Anatomy of the Nervous System cont.
Cells of the Nervous System
3
Project Discussion (bring handouts from online)
Exam #1 (Ch. 1-3)
Dissection of sheep brain
Psychopharmacology
4
Project Topic Due
Psychopharmacology cont.
Dissection of sheep brain
No Class (Holiday)
Vision
6
Reference Sheet Due
Dissection of sheep brain
Vision cont.
Nonvisual Sensation & Perception
7
Outline Due
LAST DAY TO DROP!
Nonvisual Sensation & Perception cont.
Learning & Memory
12
Exam #2 (Ch. 4,6,7)
Learning & Memory cont.
Motivation
9
Projects Due!
Motivation cont.
Stress
14
Stress cont.
Last day to turn in extra credit
Final Exam (Ch.9, 12, 14) and Lab Exam
11:30-1:30
*Note: The above schedule is tentative and is subject to change if necessary.
Dates
1/6
1/7-9
1/13-16
1/20
1/21-23
1/27-30
2/3
2/4
2/5
2/6
2/6
2/10-12
2/13
2/17
2/18-19
2/20
2/20
2/24-26
2/27
2/27
2/28
3/3-4
3/5
3/6
3/10
3/11-13
3/13
3/17-19
3/20
3/24
3/24
3/25