The purpose of the Biological Bases of Behavior course is to provide educational experiences within the general domain of neuroscience, which is fundamental to an understanding of psychological science. The course includes exposure to neural systems theories, which are foundational to the field of psychology. The course content areas include historical perspectives and discoveries, the neuronal and glial doctrines, functional neuroanatomy, psychopharmacology, psychophysics and sensory systems, and special topic areas on cognition, emotion, sex, and sleep.

The areas of exposure are meant to provide the information necessary for the development of a basic understanding of the nervous system functions involved in sensation, perception, behavior, cognition, and emotion, along with the broader spectrum of neuronal and glial processing mechanisms. These areas are critical both to the development of theoretical perspectives in cognitive, behavioral, and affective neuroscience and to clinical practice in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of brain disorders. The student will demonstrate knowledge of each content area within the course outline appropriate to her/his training level.

The student will develop skills, which will eventually be sufficient for understanding psychological phenomena from the neuroscience perspective, including individual and cultural variants. It is anticipated that opportunities will be available for classroom presentations and the formulation of theoretical papers relevant to the student’s area of specialization. However, the fundamental perspectives of the course and the student projects will be derived within the context of neuroscience theory. It is my intent that opportunities will arise for discussion and/or presentation of ethical issues relevant to the field.

DWH