DRAFT SYLLABUS. DO NOT SHARE.
Biopsychology
(4 lectures per week)
Course Objectives:
Understanding the Fundamentals of Biopsychology: To provide students with a
comprehensive understanding of the basic concepts of biopsychology, including its
definition, origin, and the role of genes and evolutionary psychology. Students will also
learn about the various methods used to investigate the brain.
Exploring the Nervous System: To equip students with detailed knowledge about the
structure and functions of the nervous system, including the divisions of the nervous
system, the anatomy of the central nervous system (CNS), the structure of neurons, and
the blood-brain barrier.
Neural Communication and Brain Function: To develop students' understanding of
how neurons send and receive signals, including the processes of neural impulse,
synaptic transmission, and the role of neurotransmitters. Students will also explore
brain lateralization, language, and the split-brain phenomenon.
Sensory and Motor Systems: To provide students with in-depth knowledge of the
sensory and motor systems, including the visual, auditory, somatosensory, olfactory,
and gustatory systems. Students will learn about the neural basis of sensory processing,
brain mechanisms of movement, motor pathways, reflexes, and movement disorders.
Neuroplasticity, Cognition, Emotion, and Motivation: To enhance students'
understanding of the development and plasticity of the nervous system, learning and
memory mechanisms, and the brain's role in emotions and stress. Students will also
study the neurobiological underpinnings of motivation, including hunger, thirst, sex,
sleep, and circadian rhythms, as well as the biopsychology of various mental health
disorders and substance addiction.
Course Outcomes:
1. Knowledge and Understanding:
o Identify and Describe Key Concepts: Students will be able to identify and
describe the fundamental concepts of biopsychology, including the role of genes,
evolutionary psychology, and methods of investigating the brain.
2. Application:
o Apply Knowledge of Nervous System Structure and Function: Students will
be able to apply their understanding of the nervous system's structure and
functions to explain processes such as neural impulse conduction, synaptic
transmission, and neurotransmitter functions.
DRAFT SYLLABUS. DO NOT SHARE.
3. Analysis:
o Analyze Sensory and Motor Systems: Students will analyze the sensory and
motor systems, breaking down the processes involved in visual and auditory
perception, sensory processing, and motor control. They will identify how
damage to these systems affects functioning.
4. Synthesis:
o Integrate Knowledge of Neuroplasticity and Cognitive Functions: tudents will
integrate knowledge of neuroplasticity, brain development, learning, memory,
and emotion to understand how these processes interact and influence behavior
and mental health.
5. Evaluation:
o Critically Evaluate Biopsychological Theories and Disorders: Students will
critically evaluate various biopsychological theories and the underlying
mechanisms of mental health disorders such as schizophrenia, depressive
disorders, and substance addiction. They will assess the effectiveness of different
approaches to understanding and treating these conditions.
Course Content:
Unit 1: Fundamentals of biopsychology
1.1 What is Biopsychology? Human evolution and Genetics - definition, origin,
disciplines of biopsychology, role of genes and evolutionary psychology, methods
of investigating the brain.
1.2 Structures and functions of the nervous system - divisions of the nervous system and
their functions, anatomy of the CNS, cells of the nervous system, structure of neurons,
the blood-brain barrier.
1.3 Neurons: Sending and receiving signals-neural impulse (resting potential, action
potential, conduction of impulse), synaptic transmission of signals among neurons,
neurotransmitters and functions.
1.4 Brain lateralization, language, and the split brain - cerebral lateralization of function,
difference between left and right hemispheres, language localisation, Wernicke-
Geschwind model.
DRAFT SYLLABUS. DO NOT SHARE.
Unit 2: Sensory and Motor Systems
2.1 The visual system - visual perception and pathway, neural basis of visual processing,
understanding colour, motion and depth.
2.2 The auditory system - sound perception and auditory processing pathways, effects of
damage to the auditory system.
2.3 The systems for touch, smell, taste and attention - somatosensory, olfactory and
gustatory systems, selective attention.
2.4 The sensorimotor system - brain mechanisms of movement, motor pathways, reflexes,
movement disorders.
Unit 3: Neuroplasticity, Cognition and Emotion
3.1 Development of the nervous system - five phases of neurodevelopment, postnatal
cerebral development and effects of experience.
3.2 Brain damage and brain plasticity - causes of damage, neurological diseases, recovery,
neuroplasticity.
3.3 Learning and memory - role of hippocampus and brain areas in memory, synaptic
mechanisms of learning and memory, amnesia and types.
3.4 Emotion, stress and health - emotions and ANS, brain mechanisms of emotions, fear,
defence and aggression, stress response and its effects.
Unit 4: Motivation
4.1 Hunger, thirst, sex and the role of hormones - internal regulation: homeostasis, hunger
and thirst, neuroendocrine system, sexual development of brain and behaviour, sexual
orientation and gender identity.
4.2 Sleep, dreaming and circadian rhythms - sleep stages and brain mechanisms, circadian
sleep - wake cycles, effects of sleep-deprivation, dreams.
4.3 Biopsychology of disorders: schizophrenia, depressive, bipolar and anxiety disorders.
4.4 Substance addiction, reward circuits - principles of drug action, role of learning in
drug tolerance, approaches to addiction; social media addiction and the role of
dopamine.
DRAFT SYLLABUS. DO NOT SHARE.
Internal Marks
Internal marks will be based on continuous internal evaluation (CIE) throughout the
year. This will include performance of the student on any of class tests, library hours,
workshops, seminars, projects, presentations, visits, and other such activities carried out
throughout the year. Teachers of the department will maintain a record of all activities.
Reference books:
1. Kalat, J. W. (2021). Biological psychology (14th ed.). Cengage Learning.
2. Pinel, J. P. J., & Barnes, S. (2023). Biopsychology (11th ed.). Pearson Education.
Recommended reading:
1. Arvind, O. (2019). Bio psychology (1st ed.). Utsaah Psychological Services Pvt. Ltd.
2. Breedlove, S. M., Watson, N. V., & Rosenzweig, M. R. (2020). Biological psychology:
An introduction to behavioral, cognitive, and clinical neuroscience (8th ed.). Sinauer
Associates.
3. Carlson, N. R., & Birkett, M. A. (2022). Physiology of behavior (13th ed.). Pearson.
4. Clifford, S., & Higgs, S. (2019). Biological psychology (2nd ed.). SAGE Publications
Ltd.
5. Corr, P. J. (2006). Understanding biological psychology (1st ed.). Wiley-Blackwell.
6. Garrett, B., & Hough, G. (2021). Brain & behavior: An introduction to biological
psychology (6th ed.). Sage Publications.
7. Hall, C. N. (2023). Introduction to biological psychology. University of Sussex Library.
8. Kolb, B., & Whishaw, I. Q. (2020). An introduction to brain and behavior (6th ed.).
Worth Publishers.
9. Lyons, M., & Brewer, G. (2014). Biological psychology (1st ed.). Learning Matters Ltd.
10. Panksepp, J., & Biven, L. (2019). The archaeology of mind: Neuroevolutionary origins
of human emotions. W.W. Norton & Company.
11. Siegel, A., & Sapru, H. N. (2019). Essential neuroscience (4th ed.). Wolters Kluwer.
12. Toates, F. (2021). Biological psychology (4th ed.). Pearson.
