Fall, 2014 404L Syllabus 1
SYLLABUS
Psychology 404L: Psychophysiology of Emotion
Lecture M & W; 2:00 – 3:20 (GFS 213)
Professor
Office Location
Michael Dawson, Ph.D.
SGM 903
Office Hours
Phone Number
Email
Mailbox
Monday 4 – 5 and by appointment
(213) 740-2294
mdawson@usc.edu
SGM 501
Laboratory W; 3:30 – 4:20 (SGM 906)
Overview
This course will examine human physiological measures and their applications to various areas of
psychology with an emphasis on human emotions such as fear, anger, and happiness.
We will show how physiological measures are applied to specific areas such biofeedback, lie detection,
playing video games, and virtual reality. We will also discuss how physiological measures are related to
depression, schizophrenia, autism, PTSD, and psychopathy.
The physiological measures will include: (1) electrodermal activity, (2) cardiovascular activity, (3)
electromyography, (4) electroencephalography, and (5) brain imaging techniques.
My Teaching Philosophy
(old Chinese proverb)
Tell me; and I forget.
Show me; and I remember.
Involve me; and I understand.
I will tell you with lectures, show you with demonstrations and laboratories, and involve you by encouraging
class participation. Both you and your classmates will get much more out of this course if you ask questions
and participate in discussions. I will try to create an environment where it is comfortable for you to do that.
Course Materials
Readings will be assigned to accompany most lectures. It is expected that you will have read this material to
serve as the basis for you to understand the class lectures and allow you participate in class discussion.
Please bring the textbook and outside readings to each class lecture.
Textbook: Hugdahl, K. (1996). Psychophysiology: The mind-body perspective. Cambridge, MA:
Harvard University Press.
Outside Readings: Outside readings will be used for your class presentations. A list of suggested
outside readings will be made available early in the semester and copies of the specific assigned readings
will be put on (http:// Blackboard.usc.edu) approximately one week before they are to be presented and
discussed. Please bring a hard copy or digital copy of the outside reading to class and be prepared to discuss.
Accommodations for Disabilities
Students requesting academic accommodations based on a disability are required to register with Disability
Services and Programs (DSP) each semester. A letter of verification can be obtained from DSP when
adequate documentation is filed. Please deliver this letter to me as early in the semester as possible.
Fall, 2014 404L Syllabus 2
Class Attendance
Attendance is not graded. However, the lecture material will be included in the exams and there will be short
in-class quizzes described below for which you will receive zero credit if you fail to attend.
In-Class Examinations
There will be three types of in-class written exams for the course, each weighted equally.
1. Short Quizzes: There will be 10 short quizzes on readings and lecture material covered since the last
quiz, including the readings of that day, given most Mondays (days of the quizzes are indicated in bold
on the schedule) plus one short writing assignment, each worth 10 points. You may delete the lowest
score of one of these assignments.
2. Midterm Exam: Format includes multiple choice, identification, fill-ins, and short essays.
3. Final Exam: The final exam will cover material from the entire course, but will emphasize material
presented in the last half of the course. The final will include one essay question selected from a list that
will be given to you a week or two before the final, in addition to formats similar to those in the midterm.
Note: Make-up exams will be given only if a letter on letterhead stationary signed by a physician, including
the physician’s telephone number, is submitted to me stating the reason you could not take the exam on time.
Laboratories
The 11 lab activities are designed to reinforce concepts discussed in lectures as well as provide experience
with psychophysiological measurement devices. Lab assignments will be worth a total of 50 points towards
the overall course grade. You may delete the lowest score of one of the lab assignments.
Class Presentation
Your class presentation of an outside reading will be worth 25 points and your overall class participation will
be worth 25 points. Your presentation should clearly summarize the outside reading in approximately 20
minutes, include Powerpoint slides, and promote class discussion. (A list of suggested articles for possible
outside readings will be made available on Blackboard.)
Summary of Overall Grading
Course Requirement
Points
% of Grade
Short quizzes + writing assignment 100
25
Class presentation and discussion
50
12.5
Laboratories
50
12.5
Midterm Exam
100
25
Final Exam
100
25
Total
400
100
Grading will not be based on a curve (it is possible for everyone, or no one, to get an A).
94-100 = A; 90-93 = A-; 87-89 = B+; 83-86 = B; 80-82 = B-; 77-79 = C+; 73-76 = C; 70-72 = C67-69 = D+; 60-66 = D; below 60 = F. Points earned will be posted throughout the semester.
Extra Credit
You can earn up to 10 points of extra credit by doing a combination of the following:
1. Fill out the subject pool pre-measure packet (worth 5 points).
2. Participate in a laboratory experiment through the Department’s subject pool. You will receive 5 points
for one hour of participation if credit is used only for this course. We encourage you to participate in a
psychophysiological experiment; that is, one in which a psychophysiological response is measured.
Fall, 2014 404L Syllabus 3
Academic Honesty
Students should be familiar with University policies regarding academic honesty (www.usc.edu/studentaffairs/SJACS). Failure to adhere to these policies will result in an F for the course.
Schedule of Class Topics, Readings, Examinations, and Assignments
DAY
DATE
TOPIC
M-1
W-2
M
W-3
8/25
8/27
9/1
9/3
M-4
W-5
M-6
W-7
M-8
W-9
M-10
W-11
9/8
9/10
9/15
9/17
9/22
9/24
9/29
10/1
M-12
10/6
W-13
M-14
10/8
10/13
W-15
M-16
10/16
10/20
W-17
M-18
10/22
10/27
W-19
M-20
10/39
11/3
W-21
11/5
M-22
W-23
M-24
W-25
11/10
11/12
11/17
11/19
Overview of course and class requirements
What is psychophysiology? (Lab #1)
Labor Day – No Class
What is emotion? What is emotional intelligence?
(Lab #2)
How is emotion studied in the lab?
Central Nervous System (Lab #3)
Central Nervous System Cont’d
Central Nervous System Cont’d
Autonomic Nervous System
Psychophysiological concepts (Lab #4)
Electrodermal activity (EDA)
EDA, orienting, and habituation (Lab #5)
Lie Detection
EDA, emotion, and clinical applications
Depression, Autism, and Schizophrenia
Cardiovascular activity (Lab #6)
Cardiovascular psychophysiology
Anger, Stress, Video Games
Electromyography: The face of emotion (Lab #7)
Startle eyeblink, emotion, attention
Fear, Psychopathy
Modification of startle eyeblink (Lab #8)
Positive emotions & review for midterm
Happiness and Joy
MID-TERM EXAM
Electroencephalography (EEG), emotion,
Sleep and Dreams
Event-related potentials (mid-term feedback)
(Lab #9)
Psychophysiology & psychopathology
Positron Emission Tomography (PET) (Lab #10)
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)
Brain Imaging and Emotion (Lab #11)
M-26
11/24
M-27
11/26
12/1
W-28
F-29
12/3
12/??
Learning of emotions & brain imaging
(classical conditioning)
Thanksgiving – No Class
Applications of psychophysiology
(Biofeedback and Behavioral Medicine)
Course review and evaluation
FINAL EXAM, 2 - 4 pm
ASSIGNMENT
Ch. 1 (pp 3-31)
Describe & define emotion
Outside readings
Ch 3 (pp 49-62)
Ch 4 ( pp 63-75)
Ch 4 ( pp 75-79)
Ch 4 (pp 84-98)
Ch 2 (pp 32-46)
Ch 6 (pp 101-130)
Ch. 7 (pp 131-140)
Ch. 8 (pp 155-162)
Outside readings
Ch. 9 (pp 167-184)
Ch 9-10 (pp 188-196; 220-33)
Outside readings
Ch 14 (pp 333-346)
Ch. 14 (pp 346-351)
Outside readings
Outside readings
Ch. 11 (pp 234-249)
Outside readings
Ch 12 (pp 266-286; 295-302)
Outside readings
Ch 13 (pp 309-321)
Ch 13 (pp 321-327)
Outside readings
Ch 7 (pp 140-154)
Outside readings
Outside readings
Fall, 2014 404L Syllabus 4
STUDENT INFORMATION FORM
Psychology 404L: Psychophysiology of Emotion
Name:
Major:
Phone:
Email:
Expected Graduation Date:
Emergency Contact:
(1) Please list the TITLES of your previous and current courses in psychology, biology, or other relevant
field:
PREVIOUS:
CURRENT:
(2) What sort of career are you aiming toward (be as specific as possible)? Do you plan to go to graduate
school?
(3) Do you presently work? If so, what do you do?
(4) What do you hope to learn in this course? What questions would you like to see addressed in this course?
(5) How many journal articles have you read? (Circle one)
Less than 5
Between 5 and 20
More than I care to remember
(6) On a 10 point scale (where 1 = “I never heard of this” and 10 = “I could give a 5 minute lecture on
this”), rate your familiarity of the following terms.
James-Lang theory --------- Amygdala ---------- Hippocampus --------- Systolic blood pressure --------Skin Conductance Response ----------- Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) -----------Electroencephalogram (EEG) --------- Sympathetic Nervous System ---------- Vagus nerve ---------(7) By what first name would you like to be called in class?