Teacher: Dr Dorota Bednarek

Contact for Students: dbednarek@swps.edu.pl

Room 003, Wednesday, 11.00-11.45 am.

Biological foundations of human behavior

Lecture
Fall 2010
e-learning: http://kursy.swps.edu.pl/

Description:

The aim of this lecture is to introduce students to basic issues of biological aspects of human
behavior. We focus on application possibilities into a psychological practice, as well as deeper
understanding of normal and disturbed behavior. The parallels between psychological and biological
development in a life span are stressed.

In general, each lecture contains one part relating to basic structure and function of nervous
system, and second part, which shows possible applications of neuroscientific findings in psychology.
Additionally, each lecture is followed by one hour of an individual homework to be done
(compulsory!) in e-learning platform.

The grade will be based on:

1. Participation in lectures is not obligatory, but students are highly encouraged to minimize the
absences (not all information is available on slides, or in textbooks).
2. The lecture is divided into two independent parts: 30 hours of classroom lectures, and 15 hours
of individual work in e-learning. Students homework will be analyzed on-line. For each
successful homework 0.5 point will be added to the result of the final test. Each homework task
will be accessible at e-learning platform during 2 weeks.
3. Main criterion to pass is to obtain more than 50% of correct responses at a written exam in form
of test. These who are absent, or dont pass at the first term, will have right to participate in second

term. These, who dont pass at any term, will have to repeat the lecture next academic year.

Grading:

40-39 6

97.5% and above

38-36 5

90-95%

35-33 4+

82.5-87.5%

32-28 4

70-80%

27-24 3+

60-67.5%

23-20 3

50-57.5%

19-0 2

0-47.5%

The Schedule:

Meeting 1
Introduction. Definitions of basic terminology. Do we need to understand biological
underpinnings of human behavior?
Meeting 2
The nervous system structure, part 1: brain hemispheres. Mapping of brain functions. How
autistic brain differs functionally from normally developing brain.
Meeting 3
The nervous system structure, part 2: brain stem.
Meeting 4
The nervous system: structure, part 3: peripheral nervous system.
Meeting 5
Microstructure of nervous system: neuron, bioelectrical activity.
Meeting 6
Are we chemically stimulated? Chemical information in nervous system.
Meeting 7
Biological underpinnings of emotions.
Meeting 8
How nervous system creates our reality: visual system.

Meeting 9
The interrelation of senses.
Meeting 10
Development: mind/ brain relationship. Brain plasticity: from childhood to old age.
Meeting 11
Left brain/ right brain: Lateralization of functions in nervous system.
Meeting 12
Does brain has sex? Sexual dimorphism of nervous system.
Meeting 13
Biological underpinnings of individual differences.
Meeting 14
Biological rhythms.
Meeting 15
Summary: why we need the nervous system? Why psychologists need to understand how the
nervous system works?

Textbooks:

Kalat, J.W. (2007). Biological Psychology. Ninth Edition. Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
Goldstein, E.B. (2007). Sensation and Perception. Eight Edition. Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
Kandel E.R., Schwartz J.H., Jessell T.M. (eds.). (1991). Principles of Neural Science. Appleton &
Lange, Norwalk, Connecticut.
Zillmer, E.A., Spiers, M.V., Culbertson, W.C. (2008). Principles of Neuropsychology. Second
Edition. Wadsworth Cengage Learning.