Prospectus

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Biopsychology and Neuropsychology

Course
2013-2014

Description

Biopsychology and Neuropsychology studies how cognition and behaviour are controlled by the nervous system and the hormonal system. In addition, the methods by which cognition and behaviour can be measured in patients with psychological and/or neurological disorders will be considered. Knowledge acquired in this course is of great importance for many disciplines within and outside the field of psychology, such as clinical psychology, clinical neuropsychology, cognitive psychology, (behavioural) neurology and psychiatry.

The course will cover:

  • anatomy of the nervous system

  • communication at synapses

  • development and plasticity of the nervous system

  • movement

  • sleeping and waking

  • emotion and stress

  • learning and memory

  • cognitive functions

  • psychological and neurological disorders

  • research methods in biopsychology and neuropsychology

Course objectives

(1) to acquire an understanding of the way in which cognition and behaviour are controlled by the nervous system and the hormonal system;
(2) to introduce methods for the measurement of cognition and behaviour in patients with psychological and/or neurological disorders.

Timetable

Biopsychology and Neuropsychology (2013-2014):

Registration

Course

First-year students will automatically be registered for the course.

Examination

Students will not be automatically enrolled for an examination — they can register via uSis from 100 to 10 calendar days before the date. Students who are not registered will not be permitted to take the examination.

Mode of instruction

Eight lectures and four mandatory work group sessions:
1. neuropsychological examination
2. functional neuroanatomy
3. child neuropsychology
4. neuropsychiatry

The first four lectures provide the student with an understanding of the way in which cognition and behaviour are controlled by the nervous system and the hormonal system (course objective 1). The last four lectures are also aimed at introducing methods for the measurement of cognition and behaviour in patients with psychological and/or neurological disorders (course objective 2). All work group sessions, specifically ‘functional neuroanatomy’ provide the student with an understanding of the way in which cognition and behaviour are controlled by the nervous system and the hormonal system (course objective 1). The other work group sessions are also aimed at introducing methods for the measurement of cognition and behaviour in patients with psychological and/or neurological disorders (course objective 2).

Assessment

An exam consisting of multiple-choice questions on both the text book (chapters 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14 and 15) and the lectures. In addition, there will be four assignments to be provided before or after the work group sessions. Students will be graded for each assignment (four in total) with an insufficient score (0 points), a sufficient score (2 points) or a good score (3 points). Based on these points a compound grade will be calculated. The students can receive a maximum of 12 points, which will be graded with a ‘10’. The other grades will be calculated in proportion.

The final grade is based on the exam (70%; minimum grade ‘5’) and the average grade for four mandatory assignments (30%; minimum grade ‘5’). Attendance of the work group sessions is mandatory. If a student misses one meeting, a compensatory assignment must be completed. Note: your absence from a work group session can only be allowed in case of a valid reason (such as illness).

Compensation of partial grades: A partial grade must be at least 5.0 to be compensated by the higher second grade.

The final grade is rounded to whole and half numbers, except for the 5.50.
For the final grade to be a 5.00 or a 6.00, rounding off rules are:
≥ 4.75 and <5.50 is rounded to 5.00,
≥ 5:50 and <6:25 is rounded to 6:00

Course passed = sufficient grade for the exam (minimum grade ‘5’) + sufficient attendance of the work group sessions (attendance of four work group sessions, or attendance of three work group sessions plus compensatory assignment) + sufficient compound grade for the assignments (minimum grade ‘5’) and the weighted average 5.5 or higher.

Since 1 January 2006 the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences has implemented the Ephorus system, for use by instructors for the systematic detection of plagiarism in students’ written work. Please see the information concerning fraud.

Blackboard

For information: Blackboard

Reading

Kalat, J.W. (2013). Biological Psychology (11th edition, International Edition). Wadsworth/Cengage Learning. ISBN-10: 1-111-83952-2
If you are a member of the study association Labyrint you may purchase books at a reduced price via their study book service. Alternatively there are the academic book shops.

Contact