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Tentative Class Schedule

It is expected that you will read 25-35 pages each week, on average.

If specific pages are noted, only those pages are assigned reading; otherwise, all pages of a chapter are assigned.

*THIS MAY BE REVISED AS NEEDED.
Needed revisions will be posted in the online syllabus-- highlighted in yellow-- and announced one time in class.

DATE		CLASS INFORMATION
Week 1		Introductions, etc... what is biopsychology? how is it studied? converging evidence/operations, intro to biopsych methods; Begin chapter 2; nature and nurture
Week 2		Chapter 2-- Read all pages Nature and Nurture; Natural Selection and EP; Twins and adoptions; "comparative approach"
Week 3		Neuroanatomy; CHAPTER 3..— read pages 60-73 note the following illustrations: 3.5, 3.7, 3.11 (Golgi Stain), 3.12 (Nissl Stain), 3.16, 3.17, 3.22, 3.33, 3.25, 3.27, 3.28, 3.29, 3.30 Introduce Functional Neuroanatomy. Neurons; Chapter 4 : use text as needed/directed. . and to reinforce lecture; Neurotransmitters, pharmacology, Figures 4.6, 4.16. 4.10, 4.11, 4.12, 4.17 4. 18. Video: brain dissection
Week 4		EXAM 1 (covers chapter 1- 4 as noted above). Chapter 5: (skip 5.6). How do we KNOW about the brain? more research methods. How brain enhances visual stimuli,
Week 5		Chapter 6: note pages that show the brain does more much than simply record light patterns; Case studies: mistook for hat; completion and blindsight; D.F.) (p 130-134, 138, 142-145, 153-159 and ch 7 162-164
Week 6		Begin Hormones and Behavior; Hormones and Sex Differences. chapter 13: emphasis on pages TBA; Video clip on sex difs.
Week 7		Finish Hormones and sex difs research
Week 8		EXAM 2Video clip. Addiction Chapter 15. A genetic basis for alcoholism? Lateralization, Language chapter 16, sections: 16.2, 16.3, 16.5 and pages 403-416 and review p.423, figure 16.14
Week 9		(Brain Damage and Memory research as time permits) Chapter 10 - EXAM 3
Week 10		Chapter 11 -pp. 269-290 . Neural development; Video clip; Eating behavior
Week 11		Biopsych of serious mental illness; (depression, schizophrenia,) EXAM 4
Week 12		Discuss articles / summary of
Week 13		Discuss articles / summary of
Week 14		Discuss articles / summary of
Week 15		Discuss articles / summary of
final paper due during Final Exam date _________________		_____________________________

EXAM 1 STUDY HINTS:

You will need to know basic neural transmission, how natural selection works and how it relates to psychology, some research methods used to study biological influences on behavior. Study from your notes to make sure you understand these topics. You will also be asked to label certain parts of the brain -- so study the brain anatomy that we cover. The test will have labeling, multiple choice, short answer and essay. It would be wise to think about how you would compose essay responses on the topics of twin studies, limitations of heritability estimates, natural selection and human behavior, and neural transmission (ionotropic).