PSY 4133
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Texas Woman’s University
Syllabus
Semester: Fall
Year: 2014
Course Prefix: PSY
Course Number: 4133
Course Title: Physiological Psychology
Meeting Time and Location: Tuesday and Thursday 2:30-3:50 PM, MCL Room 503
Course Description and Overview: Fundamentals of neuroanatomy and neurophysiology;
psychopharmacology; genetic, neurological, and endocrine basis of sensation, motivation, sleep
and arousal, learning, memory, and psychopathology. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three
hours.

Meets Major Requirements
Faculty Contact Information:
Name of Instructor: Ryan J. McGill, Ph.D., BCBA-D, NCSP
Office Location: CFO 805
Office Phone Number: 940-898-2396
Office Hours: Monday and Wednesday from 1:00-4:00 PM or by appointment.
E-Mail Address: rmcgill@twu.edu
Goals and Outcomes:
 Identify the divisions of the brain and nervous system and describe their function.
 Describe the structure of neurons and how neural impulses are generated.
 Describe the structure and functioning of synapses.
 Identify the major neurotransmitters and discuss the impact of each on behavior.
 Demonstrate a basic understanding of the association between the internal structure and
function of the brain and the external manifestations of mood, cognition, and behavior.
 Demonstrate an understanding of recent neuroscience research pertaining to sensation,
perception, sleep and arousal, reproduction, learning, cognition, and memory.
Course Materials and Supplies:
Course Materials: Computer access with internet connectivity.
Required Texts(s): Carlson, N. R. (2013). Physiology of behavior (11th ed.). Upper Saddle
River, NJ: Pearson.
Supplies: None required.
Prerequisite Courses or Conditions for Enrollment:
Prerequisites: PSY 1013 (Introduction to Psychology) and senior standing.
Disability Support Policy Statement: If you anticipate the need for reasonable
accommodations to meet the requirements of this course, you must register with the office of
Disability Support Services (CFO 106, 940-898-3835, dss@twu.edu) in order to obtain the
required official notification of your accommodation needs. Please plan to meet with me by
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appointment during office hours to discuss approved accommodations and how my course
requirements and activities may impact your ability to fully participate.
Academic Integrity: Honesty in completing assignments is essential to the mission of the
University and to the development of the personal integrity of students. In submitting graded
assignments, students affirm that they have neither given nor received unauthorized assistance,
and that they have abided by all other provisions of the Code of Conduct in the TWU Student
Handbook. Cheating, plagiarism, fabrication or other kinds of academic dishonesty will not be
tolerated and will result in appropriate sanctions that may include failing an assignment, failing
the class, or being suspended or expelled. Suspected cases in this course may be reported to
Student Life. The specific disciplinary process for academic dishonesty is found in the TWU
Student Handbook. The TWU library link, “Avoiding Plagiarism,” will aid students in
completing their assignments with integrity.
The following statement must appear on a course syllabus if an antiplagiarism tool is used in
the course:
In an effort to ensure the integrity of the academic process, Texas Woman’s University
vigorously affirms the importance of academic honesty as defined by the Student Handbook.
Therefore, in an effort to detect and prevent plagiarism, faculty members at Texas Woman’s
University may now use a tool called Turnitin to compare a student’s work with multiple
sources. It then reports a percentage of similarity and provides links to those specific sources.
The tool itself does not determine whether or not a paper has been plagiarized. Instead, that
judgment must be made by the individual faculty member.
Some of the required assignments in this course may be checked for plagiarism using
Turnitin.com.
Activities, Assignments, and Grading Policy:
Chapter Quizzes (12 x 10 pts = 120 points). Chapter quizzes will be posted on blackboard. Each
quiz will consist of 10 multiple-choice items and open-book. Students will be allowed to access
each quiz multiple times. Note: Students MUST USE MOZILLA FIREFOX as the internet
browser for all
Quizzes.
Midterm Examination (100 pts). Multiple-choice, closed-book and covers material related to
the first seven chapters in the course.
Final Examination (100 pts). Multiple-choice, closed-book and covers material related to last
eight chapters in the course.
APA Research Paper (50 pts). An APA-style 6th edition paper will be required of all students.
Papers should be a minimum of 5 pages typed, double-spaced, 12-pt New-Times Roman font,
and one inch margins (top/bottom and left/right). The paper should focus on recent (1990’s to
present date) scientific publications and selected from the topic list below. A minimum of five
scientific studies retrieved from a library data base should be reviewed in the paper. An example
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of a good paper for this assignment is posted on the Blackboard course site. This assignment will
only be accepted electronically via Blackboard. In addition, all students will be required to
submit the paper to turnitin.com. Responses will be evaluated based on the following items:
Meets assignment requirements (e.g., APA style, minimum 5 pages, etc., 20 points); Clarity of
Expression and Organization of Paper (20 points); Punctuation and Grammar (10 points).
Sample Topic List (all topics should address physiological issues):
 Depression
 Addiction
 Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
 Attachment
 Eating Disorders
 Alzheimer’s
 Sexual Orientation
 Teratogens (Prenatal Development)
 Personality Disorders
 Sleep/Dreaming
TOTAL 270 POINTS
A = 89.5% and above = 242-270 pts
B = 79.5%-89.4% = 215-241 pts
C = 69.5%-79.4% = 188-214 pts
D = 59.5%-69.4% = 160-213 pts
F = 59.4% and below 0-159 pts
TWU Attendance Policy: Consistent and attentive attendance is vital to academic success, and
is expected of all students. Grades are determined by academic performance, and instructors may
give students written notice that attendance related to specific classroom activities is required
and will constitute a specific percentage of students' grades. Instructors are strongly encouraged
to keep a record of student attendance. They should note absences due to documented student
illness, serious illness or death in the student's immediate family, pregnancy or related
conditions, official school activity, state-recognized religious holiday, active military service that
is of a reasonable brief duration, or other verified absences deemed appropriate by the instructor.
Students must consult with instructors regarding the completion of make-up work. Absences do
not exempt students from academic requirements. Excessive absences, even if documented, may
result in a student failing the course. An incomplete may be granted if the student has a passing
grade, but only if the instructor determines that it is feasible for the student to successfully
complete remaining assignments after the semester. Pursuant to university policy, such
determinations are within the discretion of the instructor. All excused absences required
documentation (physician note or obituaries) for absences within 30 days of the absences. Please
note that a documented absence does not preclude a student from still being responsible for
assigned work or test. It is the student's responsibility to contact the professor.
(TWU attendance policy at: http://www.twu.edu/student-life-office/attendance-policy.asp)
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This Course’s Attendance Policy: Attendance for this course is required. Only an official
notification from the TWU Office of Student Life (Student Union, Room 206; 940-898-3615)
will be accepted as an excused absence and only then will the student be allowed to make-up any
missed assignments. Absences that are not approved by the TWU Office of Student Life will
affect the student's evaluation and subsequent course grade.
Classroom Decorum Policies:
Classroom Climate: Students should demonstrate respect and professionalism to fellow students
and the instructor throughout the course. Please turn off your phones and refrain from working
on non-course related activities. Students who engage in behavior(s) that interfere with the
learning process will be provided with a verbal warning/prompt by the instructor. Subsequent
violations may result in the student being asked to leave at the discretion of the instructor.
E-Mail: E-mail is the preferred form of communication for the course and is available for you to
use directly through your TWU account or indirectly in the blackboard course website. Due to
FERPA laws, I ask that you please utilize your assigned student E-Mail to communicate with me
regarding course content. E-Mails sent in the evening or on weekends may or may not receive a
reply until the next workday, though I do my best to respond promptly. If you have not received
a reply after 48 hours (not inclusive of weekends or university holidays/breaks), please follow up
with me. Please be mindful of the length and/or detail required to adequately respond to your
queries and utilize office hours or class time when more appropriate. As an example, a good rule
of thumb is that if an answer potentially requires more than 5 minutes of conversational text, it is
probably best to meet with me directly so that I can adequately respond to your question or
concern.
Grading: I welcome you to discuss your grades with me respectfully during my office hours. I
ask that you respect a 24/7 policy. Please wait 24 hours after receiving a grade to talk with me
about it. You must appeal a grade within 7 days of receiving the grade. Do not come to me at the
end of the semester to talk about a grade from the beginning. I will not entertain such
discussions.
Policy on Make-Up Exams: Make-up exams/assignments will only be allowed when there is
official notification of an excused absence from the Office of Student Life. In the case of
excused absences, please schedule a meeting with me as soon as possible to discuss possible
accommodations.
Late Policy: All assignments must be turned in the date they are due at 5:00 PM (CST).
Assignments that are not turned in on the due date will be incurring a 10% penalty from the
grade earned on that assignment, after it is submitted, for every 24 hours they are late. As an
example, if an assignment is submitted 2 hours after the deadline above and earns an 80% grade
after completion, the final grade assigned will be a 70%. If submitted after 5:00 PM the day after
it is due, it will incur a 20% reduction from the earned grade after submission.
Communication: Please note that I want you to succeed in this class. Students occasionally go
through difficult experiences that present a challenge to completing or excelling in a course. I
encourage you to meet with me in the event of such difficulties. Do not wait until the end of the
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semester! You have a choice to receive the help that I can offer throughout the semester. Your
choices and priorities correlate with your grade. Please contact me as soon as possible if you run
into any difficulties with the course requirements.
Calendar of Classes, Sessions, Activities, Readings, Examinations & Assignments:
Date
Content/Assignment Due
Reading
Tuesday 8/26
Thursday 8/28
Course Policies
History of Neuroscience
Tuesday 9/2
Thursday 9/4
Structure and Function of
Cells
Quiz 1
Chapter 2
Tuesday 9/9
Thursday 9/11
Nervous System
Quiz 2
Chapter 3
Tuesday 9/16
Thursday 9/18
Psychopharmacology
Quiz 3
Chapter 4
Tuesday 9/23
Thursday 9/25
Visual System
Quiz 4
Chapter 6
Tuesday 9/30
Thursday 10/2
Audition and Body Senses
Quiz 5
Chapter 7
Tuesday 10/7
Thursday 10/9
Movement
Midterm Examination
Chapter 8
Tuesday 10/14
Thursday 10/16
Sleep
Quiz 6
Chapter 9
Tuesday 10/21
Thursday 10/23
Emotions
Quiz 7
Chapter 11
Tuesday 10/28
Thursday 10/30
Learning and Memory
Quiz 8
Chapter 13
Tuesday 11/4
Thursday 11/6
Speech and Verbal Behavior
Quiz 9
Chapter 14
Tuesday 11/11
Thursday 11/13
Neurological Disorders
Quiz 10
Chapter 15
Tuesday 11/18
Thursday 11/20
Mood Disorders
Quiz 11
Chapter 16
Chapter 1
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Tuesday 11/25
Thursday 11/27
Autism, ADHD, Anxiety
Thanksgiving Break (No
Class)
Chapter 17
Tuesday 12/2
Thursday 12/4
Drug Abuse
Quiz 12
Papers Due
Chapter 18
Tuesday
Final Examination
1:30-3:30 P.M.
MCL, 503