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PHYSIOLOGICAL PSYCHOLOGY
PSYC 226/Winter 2016
MWF 11:50 a.m. to 1:05 p.m.
Olds Upton #412
Professor:
Dr. Robert Batsell
Office: Olds-Upton #403B
E-mail: rbatsell@kzoo.edu
Office Telephone: 337-7032 (or in emergencies: 743-8050)
Office Hours: MWF 10:00-11:00 a.m. and by appointment
Teaching Assistant: Elizabeth Penix
Office: OU 413
Office Hours: TBA
Recommended Textbook:
Breedlove, S.M., Rosenzweig, M. R., & Watson, N. V. (2013). Biological Psychology
(Seventh Edition). Sinauer.
Required Additional Readings:
Colapinto, J. (2000). As nature made him. Harper Collins Publishers.
Padgett, J. (2013). Struck by genius: How a brain injury made me a mathematical
marvel.
Journal Articles (see pp. 4-8)
Class List-serve: PSYC425-1@kzoo.edu
I. COURSE SUMMARY
Physiological psychology examines the interactions between the brain and
behavior. In this class, we isolate the physiological processes that take place inside the
body whenever behavior occurs. The assumption underlying this science is that for every
behavioral event--every action, thought or feeling--there is a corresponding physical event
or series of events taking place in the body. During this quarter, we will focus on a
variety of topics including: the structure and function of neurons, neuroanatomy and
function of the brain, behavioral neuroscience, cognitive neuroscience, affective
neuroscience, and assorted special topics. By the end of this course, students should be
able to think about an organism’s behavior on three levels (cellular, structural, and
systems/behavioral).
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II. GRADING. There are a total of 400 points available in this class. A 10% grading
scale will be used in which students who score over 360 points will earn an ‘A,’ students
who score between 320 and 359 will earn a ‘B,’ students who score between 280 and 320
will earn a ‘C,’ and so forth.
Tests (4 Total) =
Article Reviews (4 Total) =
350
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A. Tests. Four tests will be given throughout the semester. The test format will include
fill-in-the-blank, short-answer, and essay questions. The tests will cover the material
presented in class and from the book chapters designated on the syllabus. Moreover, each
test will include questions that are taken from book material that is not discussed in
lectures. Please note that all exam dates are clearly marked on the syllabus, and they will
be given on those dates. Students are required to abide by the Kalamazoo College Honor
Code for all of their work in this class. Tests 1 and 2 are worth 75 points each and Tests 3
and 4 are worth 100 points each.
B. Article Review Assignments: There are 4 randomly scheduled journal articles
readings. For a paper review, the class will self-divide into small groups or pairs of
students, and each group/dyad will complete the review sheet. One or two of these
review sheets may be completed in class, but to facilitate a meaningful discussion of the
article, the majority of the review sheets will be completed out of class before the
scheduled class period. The questions on the review sheet will cover information such as
the hypothesis, methods, and results of the research. Moreover, key questions will cover
the implications of the research, not only for science but for society as well. Please note
that spelling, grammar, and economical presentation of material will all be considered in
determining the student’s grade. Plagiarism is not tolerated. The article review
assignments will range in value from 12 to 15 points for each member of the group.
III. ACCOMMODATIONS.
A. Student Athletes. Student athletes who have university permission to miss
classes or tests need to inform the instructor before they miss the assignment.
B. Cultural/Religious Holidays. Kalamazoo College provides reasonable
accommodations for observing religious or cultural holidays. Students can be excused
from class to participate in these religious/cultural activities, but they will be responsible
for getting all assignments and turning in course work. It is the student's responsibility to
contact the faculty member in a timely manner to arrange for appropriate
accommodations.
C. Students with Disabilities. Kalamazoo College provides reasonable
accommodations for students with disabilities. It is the student's responsibility to contact
the office of the Dean of Students [337-7209] in a timely manner to arrange for
appropriate accommodations.
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IV. CLASS RULES.
A. Honor System. This course will operate in accordance with the Kalamazoo
College Honor System: a responsibility for personal behavior, independent thought,
respect for others, and environmental responsibility. Students who are caught cheating or
plagiarizing will receive a zero for that assignment, will be referred to Student Services,
and may fail the class. Students who download papers or any information from the
Internet without citing the source may receive an F in this course.
B. Attendance. Attendance will not be taken in this class; but students are
expected to attend the scheduled classes. Many of the test questions will come from class
lectures and are not in the book. It should be noted that students who have been
successful in this class in the past have adopted the strategy of reading the book prior to
lecture, attending the lecture, and then rereading the text over the corresponding material.
C. Classroom Behavior. The Kalamazoo College Honor Code applies to
classroom behavior as well as other types of interpersonal interactions on campus;
“respecting others” includes respectful behavior in class. Although Kalamazoo College is
committed to respecting fundamental principles of freedom of speech, including even
controversial positions taken in class, all types of speech and behavior must be balanced
with principles of appropriate classroom behavior. It is ultimately the faculty member
who controls the classroom, and if a situation develops in which, in the opinion of the
faculty member, the class is being disrupted, the faculty member has the ultimate right to
ask a student to leave the class. Longer-term solutions to these problems will be dealt
with according to College procedures.
Also, the presence of electronic devices is distracting to the professor and other
students. Cell phones should be silenced before class and in-class texting may be met
with sarcasm, ridicule, and prolonged verbal abuse.
D. Make-up Policy. If you know that you are going to miss an assignment (test or
paper) for any reason, it is the responsibility of the student to contact the professor
BEFORE the assignment is due. Makeup assignments may not be given if prior warning
(and the professor’s consent) has not occurred.
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Physiological Psychology Course Outline
Winter 2016
SECTION #1: AN INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY & BEHAVIOR
Week #1: Introduction to Class
Jan 4 (Mon)
Introduction to Class & Field of Neuroscience
Jan 6 (Wed)
Brain Evolution [Breedlove et al., Ch. 1 & 6]
Herrmann, E., Call, J., Hernandez-Lloreda, M. V., Hare, B., & Tomasello, M. (2007).
Humans have evolved specialized skills of social cognition: The cultural
intelligence hypothesis. Science, 317, 1360-1366.
http://0-www.jstor.org.ariadne.kzoo.edu/stable/20037753?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents
Jan 8 (Fri)
Methods of Studying the Brain [Breedlove et al., Ch. 5]
Week #2: Molecular & Cellular Neuroscience
Jan 11 (Mon)
Neuronal Transmission [Breedlove et al., Ch 2 & 3]
Fields, R. D. (2013). Map the other brain. Nature, 501, 25 – 27.
http://www.kzoo.edu/reserves/psych/425/Fields.2013.pdf
Jan 13 (Wed)
Neuronal Transmission & Psychopharmacology [Breedlove et al.,
Ch. 3 & 4]
Jan 15 (Fri)
TEST #1
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SECTION #2: Organization of the Nervous System & Brain Functioning
Week #3
Jan 18 (Mon)
Martin Luther King Day: No Class
Jan 20 (Wed)
Organization of the Nervous System: General Features
Jan 22 (Fri)
Organization of the Nervous System: Subcortical Regions
Mason, M. P. (2008). Rob Rabe cannot cry. Head cases. (pp. 73-96). Farrar, Strauss,
Girou: New York.
http://www.kzoo.edu/reserves/psych/425/rob%20rabe.pdf
Week #4:
Jan 25 (Mon)
Organization of the Nervous System: Cortical Regions
Jan 27 (Wed)
Neuropsychology I
Padgett, J. (2013). Struck by Genius Discussion
Jan 29 (Fri)
Neuropsychology II
The man who didn’t want his legs. In, The Man Who Wasn’t There.
http://www.kzoo.edu/reserves/psych/226/The%20man%20who%20didn't%20want%20hi
s%20legs.pdf
Week #5:
Feb 1 (Mon)
Decision Making & Morality in the Brain
Burns, J. M., & Swerdlow, R. H. (2003). Right orbitofrontal tumor with pedophilia
symptom and constructional apraxia sign. Archives of Neurology, 60, 437-440.
http://www.kzoo.edu/reserves/psych/425/Burns%20&%20Swerdlow.2003.pdf
A Criminal Mind (2015). The California Sunday Magazine. 1 – 17.
http://www.kzoo.edu/reserves/psych/226/A%20Criminal%20Mind.pdf
Feb 3 (Wed) TEST #2
Feb 5 (Fri)
Winter BREAK: NO CLASS!
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SECTION #3: Behavioral Neuroscience
Week 6:
Feb 8 (Mon)
Long-term Potentiation [Breedlove et al., Chp 13]
Feb 10 (Wed)
Physiological Substrates of Learning
Tang, Y., Shimizu, E., Dube, G. R., Rampon, C., Kerchner, G. A., Zhuo, M., Liu, G.,
& Tsien, J. Z. (1999). Genetic enhancement of learning and memory in mice.
Nature, 401, 63-69.
http://www.kzoo.edu/reserves/psych/425/Tang%20et%20al.1999.pdf
Feb 12 (Fri)
Reward Pathways
Week #7:
Feb 15 (Mon)
Food & the Brain
Feb 17 (Wed)
Sex I
Colapinto, J. (2000). As nature made him. Harper Collins Publishers.
Feb 19 (Fri)
Sex & the Brain II
Roselli, C. E., Larkin, K., Resko, J. A., Stellflug, J. N., & Stormshak, F. (2004). The
volume of a sexually dimorphic nucleus in the ovine medial preoptic area/anterior
hypothalamus varies with sexual partner preference. Endocrinology, 145, 478483.
http://www.kzoo.edu/reserves/psych/226/Roselli%20et%20al.2004.pdf
Feb 22 (Mon)
Test #3
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SECTION #4: COGNITIVE & AFFECTIVE NEUROSCIENCE
Week #8: Cognitive & Affective Neuroscience
Feb 24 (Wed)
Physiological Substrates of Memory I
Feb 26 (Fri)
Physiological Substrates of Memory II
Squire, L. R. (2009). The legacy of Patient H. M. for neuroscience. Neuron, 61, 6-9.
http://www.kzoo.edu/reserves/psych/425/Squire,%202009.pdf
Week #9: Cognitive & Affective Neuroscience
Feb 29 (Mon)
Physiological Substrates of Memory III
March 2 (Wed)
Neurogenesis & Memory
March 4 (Fri)
Affective Neuroscience
Amodio, D. M. (2014). The neuroscience of prejudice and stereotyping. Nature Reviews
Neuroscience, 15, 670 – 682.
http://www.kzoo.edu/reserves/psych/226/Amodio.2014.pdf
Week #10: Emerging Models of Psychopathology & Dysregulation
March 7 (Mon)
Emerging Models of Psychopathology & Dysregulation
Caspi, A., Sugden, K., Moffitt, T. E., Taylor, A., Craig, I. W., Harrington, H. et al.
(2003). Influence of life stress on depression: Moderation by a polymorphism in
the 5-HTT gene. Science, 301, 386-389.
http://0-www.jstor.org.ariadne.kzoo.edu/stable/3834746
Holden, C. (2003). Getting the short end of the allele. Science, 301, 291-292.
http://0-www.jstor.org.ariadne.kzoo.edu/stable/3834704?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents
March 8 (Wed)
Emerging Models of Psychopathology & Dysregulation
March 10 (Fri)
Emerging Models of Psychopathology & Dysregulation
Noble, K. G., Houston, S. M., Brito, N. H., Bartsch, H., Kan, E., …Sowell, E. R. (2015).
Family income, parental education and brain structure in children and adolescents.
Nature Neuroscience,
http://www.kzoo.edu/reserves/psych/226/Noble%20et%20al.2015.pdf
Week #11: TEST #4: Non-cumulative FINAL Date and time TBA