2016/17 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

PSYC2519 Behavioural Neuroscience

10 creditsClass Size: 225

Module manager: Dr Amanda Harrison
Email: a.a.harrison@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2016/17

Pre-requisite qualifications

Successful completion of Year 1 of:
BSc Psychology or MPsyc, BSc Advanced Psychology (and its International and Industrial variants)

This module is mutually exclusive with

PSYC3419

Joint Honours: Behavioural Neuroscience

Module replaces

PSYC2507

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Objectives

This module aims to provide in depth coverage of key concepts in behavioural neuroscience.
The module will be taught by a team of experts in the subject.
Students will continue to develop their knowledge of this discipline with particular emphasis on the research expertise of the module team.

Learning outcomes
The course aims to build on the neuroscience and behavioural components of the Level 1 PSYC1605 Biological Psychology Module. In particular, the course will advance on PSYC1605's treatment of the relationship between physiology and behavioural processes. Specific topic areas will include brain mechanisms of learning and memory, drug addiction, social attachment, appetite, and fear.

This will thus be an intermediate course on behavioural neuroscience of animal cognition, including illustrative experimental examples, by lecturers who actively research in these areas. By the end of the course students should be able to appreciate the importance of animal models to established and potential advances in fundamental knowledge in key areas in psychology such as learning and memory, motivation, and social behaviour. Students will be expected to develop their own, critical understanding of key research topics.

By the end of the course students should be able to appreciate the importance of animal models to advances in fundamental knowledge in key areas such as learning and memory, motivation, and social behaviour. Students will also be able to show a critical understanding of these topics, including the ability to critically assess the successes, limitations, and problems associated with the use of animal models. The knowledge outcomes will be assessed in an end of module exam, with a MCQ component to assess breadth, and a choice of long essay style questions.

In terms of the degree, this module will not only provide an excellent preparation for level 3 modules in the 'Biological Band' (including those on hippocampal bases of spatial cognition, motivation, sleep, drugs and behaviour), but also those in 'Cognition' (including those on memory and aging) and 'Social' psychology. Note that this course will also teach material from an exciting new area, namely social neuroscience (e.g. models of social co-operation and autistic spectrum disorders).

Students of this module will be doing the Level 2 Cognitive Neuroscience module simultaneously, and specific areas of complementary overlap will include the neuroscience of memory, motivation, and social behaviour.

Skills outcomes
Students will have the opportunity to develop skills in the critical analysis of published research and in literature research.

Syllabus

- Animal models of learning and memory, with particular reference to the hippocampal formation.
- Animal models of motivation and addiction.
- Neurobiology of social attachment.
- Neurobiology of appetite
- Neurobiology of fear and anxiety .


In all cases, there will be an emphasis on brain & behaviour, with some reference to human behaviour. The contribution to understanding from other approaches/disciplines will be noted as appropriate including ethology, learning theory, neuroscience, physiology, molecular biology, and pharmacology

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Class tests, exams and assessment	1	0.50	0.50
Lecture	10	1.50	15.00
Private study hours			84.50
Total Contact hours			15.50
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			100.00

Private study

40 hours: 10 x 4 hours preparation for each lecture
10 hours: preparation for mid-module MCQ
34.5 hours: preparation for end of semester exam

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

The mid-module MCQ test will provide feedback to the student as to whether their preparation and understanding of the topic areas has been sufficient.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
In-course MCQ	peer marked	0.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		0.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Exams

Exam type	Exam duration	% of formal assessment
Standard exam (closed essays, MCQs etc)	2 hr 00 mins	100.00
Total percentage (Assessment Exams)		100.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 12/05/2016

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