Our ability to perceive the world, think and remember things depends upon the functioning of our brain. In this course we will look at the workings of the brain, with particular focus on understanding aspects of brain function that are of particular importance to psychology. Consequently, this course focus on the link between neuroscience and psychological functioning.
Topics will include: mind-body problem; techniques to determine brain structure and cognitive functioning; functional properties and organisation of neurons in the early stages of the visual system and how that influences our perception; genetic and environmental influences in the development of the tuning properties of cells; colour processing and pathologies; memory encoding and storage; how emotion can affect memories; parallel and hierarchical processing in the brain; and how clinical neuropsychological findings map onto these pathways and processing stages, with particular emphasis on the concept of the cortical localisation of function.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
Upon successful completion of this course, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
1. Describe the fundamental concepts and major themes in how information is processed by the brain.
2. Compare and contrast particular approaches to studying brain function with respect to their use to answer a particular research question.
3. Apply critical analysis skills to evaluate research studies and conclusions.
4. Understand the link between psychological and brain functioning.
Indicative Assessment
An essay 30% (LO 1-4)In-laboratory quizzes 15% (LO 1-4)
End of semester examination 55% (LO 1-4)
The examination must be passed in order for an overall pass in the course to be awarded.
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Workload
The face-to-face teaching time for this course consists of two hours of lectures per week and 18 hours of laboratory classes spread across the semester.
Requisite and Incompatibility
Prescribed Texts
Kalat, J. W. (2015). Biological psychology (12th Ed.)
Assumed Knowledge
To enrol in this course you must have completed either:
Majors
Minors
Specialisations
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
If you are a domestic graduate coursework or international student you will be required to pay tuition fees. Tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 2
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are an undergraduate student and have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). You can find your student contribution amount for each course at Fees. Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2018 | $3660 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2018 | $5160 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
Second Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8858 | 23 Jul 2018 | 30 Jul 2018 | 31 Aug 2018 | 26 Oct 2018 | In Person | N/A |
