Brain and Behavior: Fall 2011
Psychology 180 Section 051
Tuesday and Thursday: 5:35pm- 6:50pm
Hunter West 619
Instructor: Stephanie Nygard
E-mail: Stephanienygard@gmail.com
Phone: 212-772-5625
Office: 602 Hunter North
Office Hours: By appointment only
Book: Biopsychology, by John Pinel, 8th edition. (7th edition ok)
Course Description: This course will give an overview of the brain and the biological basis of behavior, i.e.,
learning, memory, mental health, sex, drug abuse, pain and other behaviors. This is an introductory level
course for students who have had little or no college level biology or chemistry. Its aim is to convey
something of the excitement of contemporary behavioral neuroscience while providing some foundation
materials on the structure and function of the brain and extending somewhat the coverage provided to
these materials in Psych 100.
Course Organization: I have organized the course in a way that encourages you to work consistently and
provides direction and feedback. It’s a big text and you cannot master it all. My job is to let you know what I
think is important and what you are responsible for on examinations. I do this in three ways. First, by
assigning readings from specific sections of the text. Second, by providing a set of Study Questions for each
assigned reading. If you answer the questions in order, they will guide you through the chapter, highlighting
what I think is important. They will also help you to get the most out of the lectures. Third, by giving daily
quizzes that keeps you on your toes and provides feedback.
Contacting me: The best way to contact me is through e-mail. You can try to call, if I am there I will pick up,
but voicemail messages will often go unchecked – please do not say to me “but I left a message”. Please do
not leave messages with someone you may talk to either, just e-mail me! My office hours are by
appointment only, but do not hesitate to stop by anytime. However, there is a good chance that I will be
busy or not there. So the best way to meet with me is to e-mail me and set up an appointment.
Attendance: Attendance will not count toward your final grade. However, you are expected to attend class
on a regular basis. Coming to class will be to your advantage because there will be daily quizzes given during
the first 5 minutes of class. Missing the quiz will result in a zero for that quiz and cannot be made up.
Additionally, quiz questions may reappear on exams and extra credit assignments and exam review
materials will only be given during class time and will not be posted on blackboard. Punctuality is expected.
Late comers will not be allowed to take the quiz for that day.
Class etiquette: Please turn off cell phones, iPods…. NO Electronics during class or exams! Good manners
are expected, such as no talking-chatting during class or reading newspaper! We are all adults so be
respectful and courteous toward me and your classmates.
E-mail etiquette: It is very difficult to determine tone in an e-mail. Therefore, it is imperative that you “play
it safe” and be extremely respectful and professional in ALL e-mail communication. All e-mails to me MUST
include the following: A salutation such as “dear” or “hello” (not “hey” or “yo”), your name (do not assume
that I know who the e-mail is from), an appropriate e-mail address (your e-mail address must be school and
work appropriate- xocutiexo@aol.com is unacceptable), and finally, “psych 180” should be included in the
subject line of every e-mail.
*If you include all of the previous, I will be sure to respond within 24 hours unless I tell you otherwise in
class.
Quizzes and homework: There will be a 5-10 question quiz given at the beginning of every scheduled class
and collected 5-10 minutes later. There will be no make-ups for any quizzes. IF YOU ARE LATE YOU CAN
NOT TAKE THE QUIZ!!! Quizzes will count for the final grade. The lowest two (or more) quizzes will be
dropped. You may keep the quizzes; some questions from quizzes will re-appear on your exams. The Quizzes
are meant to keep you up to date on your reading throughout the semester. If you do the assigned reading,
you should have no problem with the quizzes and they will increase your final grade. There will be study
questions posted on blackboard to help guide you through the assigned reading for that day/week. If you
can answer the study questions you will do well on the quiz. It is not required that you turn in your
responses to the study questions, however, answering them will be of benefit to you.
Exams: Four exams will be given throughout the semester. The final exam is not cumulative and will cover
only the last section of the course. All exams will be composed of multiple choice and/or true/false
questions with a total of 50 questions made up from a combination of quiz questions, material from lectures
and material from the assigned reading from the textbook. There may be some information discussed in
lectures that is not covered in the book, as well as some material from the book that is not covered in class,
both of which may show up on exams. It is therefore your responsibility to come to class, and do the
assigned readings. There will also be one extra credit short answer/essay question on each exam. You may
not be more than 15 minutes late to the exam. Nothing is allowed in/on your desk while taking the exam,
including cell phones, water bottles, food, notebooks, calculators, etc. You must bring your Hunter ID card
to the exam. If you leave the room during quizzes and/or exam you will not be allowed back to finish the
exam on your return. There are no bathroom trips during an examination. No exceptions, so plan
accordingly! Please bring number 2 pencils for all examinations and quizzes. Extra pencils will only be
provided during the first two weeks. If you do not add your name on the exam/quiz answering sheet, it will
not be corrected. I don’t grade exams on a curve (yes, everyone theoretically can get an A on an exam!).
Make-up Exams: The lowest exam grade (of the first 3 exams) will be dropped and you may miss up to one
exam with that being your lowest exam grade, but everyone is required to take the final. Should you miss
two exams, a make-up exam will be given ONLY IF you provide a valid, documented excuse (BEFORE THE
EXAM) for missing one of the exams. If you cannot provide a valid, documented, verifiable excuse for one of
two exams missed, one exam will count as a 0 towards your final average. If you miss the final, you will get a
0% for the final, so please do not miss it. If there is some unavoidable event which will force you to miss the
final, please see me before hand (early vacations and too many exams on the same day don’t count, so don’t
ask). Not knowing what date or what time the final is held is not an excuse to miss the final as it is posted
in both the Registrar’s website and on the syllabus. If you have any questions regarding the material or
other class related matters, please feel free to come and see me. I encourage you to come to me with any
questions or problems you may have relating to the course material or in class. We can set up an
appointment either right before or after class. You may also e-mail me or call me.
Grading: Highest 2 out of 3 in class exam scores will count for 30% each
Final Exam - 30%
Quizzes - 10%
Final class letter grade will be determined by the Hunter grading policy. Class participation will be taken into
consideration when preparing final grades. If you come to class and participate your final grade will reflect
that. Class is better when people participate – I expect people to come to class prepared and attentive.
Asking questions, helping others, and taking an active role in the class will significantly improve your grade.
Typing on your phone, reading newspapers, passing notes, and sleeping in class will not help with your
grade, and likely will result in you being asked to leave.
Academic integrity: "Hunter College regards acts of academic dishonesty (e.g., plagiarism, cheating on
examinations, obtaining unfair advantage, and falsification of records and official documents) as serious
offenses against the values of intellectual honesty. The college is committed to enforcing the CUNY Policy on
Academic Integrity and will pursue cases of academic dishonesty according to the Hunter College Academic
Integrity Procedures." Definitions and examples of academic dishonesty can be found in the Hunter College
Undergraduate Catalog on page 251. Hunter College has explicit policies regarding academic dishonesty,
including plagiarism and cheating. Please familiarize yourself with them. Any instance of academic
dishonesty is strictly not tolerated and will result in immediate action, including but not limited to receiving
an F in and expulsion from the course and other disciplinary action. Cheating and plagiarism are unfair to
your classmates, to me and most importantly, to yourself. It is up to you to make yourself aware what
constitutes academic dishonesty, including cheating and plagiarism as the ignorance excuse will not work.
Students talking, passing materials to others, bringing notes or any other suspicious activity during quizzes
or exams will received a 0 grade on that assignment and referred to the Dean of Students for disciplinary
actions.
From the office of accessibility: In compliance with the American Disability Act of 1990 (ADA) and with
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Hunter College is committed to ensuring educational parity
and accommodations for all students with documented disabilities and/or medical conditions. It is
recommended that all students with documented disabilities (emotional, medical, physical, and/or learning)
consult the Office of AccessABILITY located in Room E1124 to secure necessary academic accommodations.
For further information and assistance, please call (212-772-4857) / TTY (212-650-3230).
Prerequisites: PSYCH 100. All students who do not meet all prerequisites must withdraw from the course.
Those who do not so will be administratively withdrawn without exception.
Incomplete: No incompletes will be given.
DATE
TOPIC
Reading
Study Questions
Tues. 8/30
Intro to brain and behavior
Ch1: 1-19
1
Thurs. 9/1
Why not kidneys and Behavior?
Ch2: 20-24
2
Tues. 9/6
What are brains for?
Ch2: 24-42
3
Thurs 9/8
Neurons and signals: input and output
Ch3: 55-59
4
Tues 9/13
Generating the signal: the resting potential
Ch4: 75-79
5
Thurs 9/15
Conducting the signal: the action potential
Ch4: 79-85
6
Tues 9/20
Integrating the signal: synaptic
transmission, drugs and neurotransmitters
Ch4: 86-99
7
Thurs 9/22
Exam 1: 1,2,3,4
Tues 9/27
Studying the brain
Ch 3: 59-61
8
Ch5: 101-118
Thurs 9/29
NO CLASSES
Tues 10/4
NO CLASS (FRI SCHEDULE)
Thurs 10/6
Brain organization and function
Ch3: 50-54, 61-74
9
Tues 10/11
Intro to sensory processes/somatosensation
Ch7: 164-167, 174183
10
Thurs 10/13
Vision I: from eye to brain
Ch6: 131-143
11
Tues 10/18
Vision II: parallel processing and perception
Ch6: 144-150, 154163
12
Thurs 10/20
Sensory System Wrap up
Ch7: 187-189
13
Tues 10/25
Thurs 10/27
Tues 11/1
Thurs 11/3
Tues 11/8
Exam 2: 3,5,6,7
Hormones and sexual development I
Hormones and sexual development II
Movement I
Movement II
Ch13: 327-354
Ch13: 327-354
Ch8: 191-217
Ch11: 268-287
14
14
15, 16
17
Thurs 11/10
Learning and Memory 2
Ch11: 287-297
18
Tues 11/15
Exam 3: 8,11,13
Thurs 11/17
Drugs of abuse
Ch15: 383-398
19
Tues 11/22
(Thursday
Schedule)
Thurs 11/24
Reward and Addiction
Ch15: 399-409
20
Tues 11/29
Brain, thought, language
Ch16: 429-441
21
Thurs 12/1
Split brain and lateralization, consciousness
Ch16: 412-428
22
Tues 12/6
Psychiatric Disorders I
Ch10: 240-253
23
Thurs 12/8
Psychiatric Disorders II
Ch18: 466-489
24
Tues 12/13
Last day of classes
(NO CLASS)
Final Exam: TBA: 10,15,16,18
** Please note that I am reserving the right to change ANY part of this syllabus/course policies at my
discretion throughout the semester.