Biopsychology
Biopsychology is the scientific study of the biological processes that underlie behavior and psychological processes. In this course, we will discuss how the brain obtains information about the environment (sensory systems), regulates an organism’s response to the environment (motor systems), controls basic functions necessary for survival such as eating, drinking, sex, and sleep, and mediates higher cognitive function such as memory and language. We will also consider the consequences of brain malfunction as manifested in various forms of disease, brain damage, and mental illness. To provide the necessary background, we will begin by studying some basic principles of evolution and genetics, the workings of the nervous system, and the methodologies used to study them.