THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN ONTARIO
LONDON
CANADA
Department of Psychology
Summer Distance 2012
Psychology 2220A Section 650 - Online
Introduction to Behavioural and Cognitive Neuroscience
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 (Research in
Behavioural Neuroscience).
Antirequisite: Psychology 2221A/B
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 requisites 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: Dr. Jennifer Hoshooley
Office and Phone Number: Social Science Center Rm 7439-7440 x82747
Email: jmckay6@uwo.ca; jhoshooley@gmail.com
Teaching Assistant: TBA
Office: TBA
Email: TBA
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: Biopsychology, 8th Edition, J.P.J. Pinel, Allyn and Bacon, 2011.
4.0 COURSE OBJECTIVES
This is a course that discusses the structure and function of the nervous system in relation to
behaviour. We will cover major aspects of human and, in some cases, animal behaviour. Students are
expected to learn the basic and important aspects of the structure and function of the central nervous
system, and how behaviour is controlled by the central nervous system and influenced by evolution.
5.0 EVALUATION
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+
A
B
C
D
F
90-100
80-89
70-79
60-69
50-59
below 50
One could scarcely expect better from a student at this level
Superior work that is clearly above average
Good work, meeting all requirements, and eminently satisfactory
Competent work, meeting requirements
Fair work, minimally acceptable
Fail
EVALUATION SUMMARY
Course Component
Midterm Exam
Final Exam
Assignment
Discussions
Weight
30%
40%
15%
15%
Midterm Exam:
Date TBA. The midterm will include questions in several formats, including multiple choice, definition, and
short answer.
Final Exam:
The final exam will be scheduled during the final Exam Period. The final exam will not be cumulative and
will only be based on material covered after the midterm. The format of the final exam will be the same as
the fall midterm format.
Assignment:
There will be one assignment to complete and you can choose from one of two options:
Option #1 –
Students will produce a written review of an interesting and recent primary
research paper of their choosing. Due 12pm (noon) to Turnitin on Friday June
29th, 2012. It is not necessary to submit a hard copy of your assignment.
Worth 15% of the final course grade.
OR Option #2 – Students will write a chapter summary for one chapter from the course text
(students can select from one of the following chapters: 8, 13, 14, 16 or 18).
Due 12pm (noon) to Turnitin on Friday June 29th, 2012. It is not necessary
to submit a hard copy of your assignment.
Worth 15% of the final course grade.
Late Penalties: Late submissions must be directly e-mailed to the course instructor (as the Turnitin
submission process closes directly at the due time on the due date. Penalties are 10% per day: So -10%
for submissions made on the Monday after the due time and -10% everyday thereafter. It is your
responsibility to take careful note of the submission time and date and therefore it is not possible
to use this as grounds to waive penalities.
Discussions:
Students will be required to participate in five online discussions relating to the course material, each
worth 3% of the student’s final mark for the course
Important Note Regarding Marks: Please note that marks cannot be awarded based on needs.
Therefore, it is important to contact me early if you are unsure of what is expected of
you for discussions, assignments, and tests, though considerable efforts have been made to
ensure that expectations are clearly presented to you.
7.0 LECTURE SCHEDULE
Unit 1 – Introduction to Biopsychology as a Neuroscience & An Examination of Evolution, Genetics and
Experience
Chapters 1 & 2 - Week ending May 11, 2012
Unit 2 – The Anatomy of the Nervous System
Chapter 3 - Week ending May 18, 2012
Unit 3 – Neural Conduction and Synaptic Transmission
Chapter 4 - Week ending May 25, 2012
Unit 4 – The Research Methods of Biopsychology
Chapter 5 - Week ending June 1, 2012
Midterm Exam will cover material presented in Units 1 – 4.
Unit 5 – The Visual System
Chapter 6 - Week ending June 8, 2012
Unit 6 – Mechanisms of Perception: Hearing, Touch, Smell, Taste, and Attention
Chapter 7 - Week ending June 15, 2012
Unit 7 – Development of the Nervous System
Chapter 9 – Week ending June 22, 2012
Unit 8 – Brain Damage and Neuroplasticity
Chapters 10 - Week ending June 29, 2012
Unit 9 – Learning, Memory, and Amnesia
Chapter 11 - Week ending July 6, 2012
Unit 10 – Hunger, Eating, and Health, Drug Addiction and the Brain’s Reward Circuits
Chapter 12 & 15 - Week ending July 13, 2012
Unit 11 – Biopsychology of Emotion, Stress and Health
Chapter 17 - Week ending July 20, 2012
Unit 12 – Study time and last discussion – Week ending July 27, 2012
Final Exam will cover material presented in Units 5 – 11.
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/handbook/appeals/scholoff.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 The University of Western Ontario 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 OTHER INFORMATION
Office of the Registrar web site: http://www.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/newundergradstudentresp.htm
- 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
- 2012 Calendar References
No electronic devices, including cell phones, will be allowed during exams.