PSY 4021

Description

Examines the physiological correlates of behavior. Explores current problems, theories, and techniques in physiological psychology with emphasis on central nervous system mechanisms.

Objectives

1. Describe and explain the study of physiological psychology from historical beginnings to current understandings in the field. Relate these discoveries across a timeline of events to detail physiological understanding of the human brain.
2. Discuss and describe the structures, regions, and functions of the human brain and eye and explain visual information processing and retinal percentage input.
3. Describe the contributions of theorists to the field of biological psychology.
4. Analyze movement control and differentiate movement type as determined of muscles, reflex activity, and controls within the brain to include abnormal activity.
5. Describe and explain the functions and main regions of the brain and motor pathways essential to the control of movement.
6. Differentiate and explain the difference between Huntington's Chorea, Parkinson's Disease, and Friederich's ataxia.
7. Discuss and explain the research on the importance of the hypothalamus in eating and drinking and the differences between obesity, anorexia nervosa and bulimia.
8. Compare and contrast the four components of emotion and describe the three main theories that have been used to explain emotion and the functions, structures and main regions of the brain essential to emotion expression.
9. Summarize findings of research on autistic children, OCD patients, and sleep-deprived individuals and differentiate drug effects in treatment of anxiety and other psychological disorders.
10. Describe and explain sleep patterns across the life span and discuss the functions, regions and structures of the brain involved in sleep.
11. Apply the findings of Jouvet's research on sleep, differentiate among the sleep disorders and explain the importance of melatonin for normal sleep patterns.
12. Describe and explain normal sexual development and behavior and gender differentiation in adult sexual development to include levels of testosterone and aggressive behavior, pheromone detection, and the areas of the brain that govern sexual behavior.
13. Differentiate the discoveries of Pavlov and Lashley and explain brain structures crucial for learning and memory to include abnormal structures and functions related to Alzheimer's Disease and Korsakoff's Syndrome.
14. Discuss Olton's findings on retention of working memory vs. reference memory, differentiate Broca's area and Wernicke's area, and explain how the left and right hemispheres are involved in language and emotion.
15. Describe and explain Affective Disorders and indicate drug treatments protocols for depression and Bipolar Disorder and the probable involvement of genetics and environment in the development of Schizophrenia.
16. Examine the areas of the brain involved in self-stimulation and addiction and identify the key features of addiction.
17. Define Darwin's concepts on the diversity of life and differentiate between DNA and mRNA and apply this understanding to the work of the Human Genome Project.

PreRequisites

BIO 1030: Biology I and BIO 1040: Biology II or equivalent & PSY 1010: General Psychology

Textbook(s)

* Disclaimer: Textbooks listed are based on the last open revision of the course. Prior revisions and future revisions may use different textbooks. To verify textbook information, view the course syllabus or contact the CSU Bookstore at bookstore@columbiasouthern.edu