Banner
PSC 113

Developmental Biological Psychology

Fall Quarter 2017

 

 

CLASS SCHEDULE PSC 113

Instructor: Jeff Schank

Lecture times:  TR, 9:00-10:20 AM

Where: Bainer 1132


1. Thursday – Sep 27 – Introduction:  I introduce the course requirements and topics we will cover.  We will also talk a bit about some of the myths of development.  Finally, we will watch a couple of videos on emergence and complexity, which are the conceptual underpinnings of development.

   Readings
      Required
        (1) The Neuroendocrine Basis of Social Recognition.
        (2) What If There Are Only 30,000 Human Genes?
     Optional  
        (3) Human genome (optional)

Lecture Notes

2. Tuesday – Oct 3 –  Mind, Brain, Development, Levels, and Mechanisms: This lecture introduces the mind and brain and way the world is organized into different levels of organization.  It also introduces a modern conception of Aristotle’s notion of causation as a way to explain biological systems.

   Readings
      Required
        (1) Chapter 1: Biological Roots of Developmental Psychobiology (pages 1-16)
        (2) The Future of Psychology.

   Lecture Notes

3. Thursday – Oct 5 – Nature vs. Nurture: We examine the nature vs nurture issue from a number of perspectives. To what degree if any, do genes determine behavior?  After critically examining different views including the program view of development, we begin to examine an alternative approach, epigenesis, which is the process by which complex biological systems develop.  Finally, we examine the role of reductionism in science and argue that strong reductionism (i.e., that psychobiological systems are, in principle, either deducible from the laws of physics and chemistry or nothing but physical-chemical systems) is incorrect. While psychobiological systems (i.e., composed of atoms and molecules), we must discover and explain their organization and functions.

   Readings
      Required
        (1) Chapter 1: Biological Roots of Developmental Psychobiology (pages 32–46)
      Optional  
        (2) Contradictions and unanswered questions in the Genei case: 
            a fresh look at the linguistic evidence.
        (3) Genie
        (4) Linguistic development of Genie
   Lecture Notes

4. Tuesday – Oct 10 – Epigenesis:  We will talk about more about the epigenesis approach to development and introduce the ideas of the Umwelt and generative entrenchment.

   Readings
      Required
        (1) Human infant crying as an animal communication system: 
            insights from an assessment/management approach
      Optional
        (2) Stroll through the worlds of animals and men:  
            A picture of invisible worlds (optional)

   Lecture Notes

5. Thursday Oct 12 – Epigenesis continued

   Lecture Notes

6. Tuesday– Oct 17 – Video: Growing Up: We will watch a video of early behavioral development in a variety of species that illustrate the ideas developed so far in the course.  We will then review for the first exam!

   Readings
      Required
        (1) Chap 4: Development and Evolution (pages 127 - 138). 

   Lecture Notes

7. Thursday –Oct 19  – Exam I 

   Reading Topics 
   Exam: sample, sample answers

8. Tuesday –  Oct 24 – Evolution and Development: This lecture introduces the basic ideas and history of evolution and ties them to development.

   Readings
      Required
        (1) Experiments in Plant Hybridization (1865)
        (2) The Origins of Species: Chapter 4
   Lecture Notes

9. Thursday – Oct 26 – Development and Genetics: This lecture focuses on the relationship between genes and development.  In particular, the issue of how so few genes can generate such different levels of complexity is discussed.

   Readings
      Required
        (1) Chapter 5: (pages 181-242).

   Lecture Notes

10. Tuesday – Oct 31 – Behavioral Genetics: This lecture covers both unifactorial and multifactorial genetic methods.  Quantitative genetics is covered with application to the IQ controversy.

   Readings
        (1) Early locomotor and social effects in 
            vasopressin deficient neonatal rats
   Lecture Notes

11. Thursday – Nov 2 – Behavioral Genetics continued

  Readings
        (1)Why Is Studying the Genetics of Intelligence So Controversial?

Lecture Notes

12. Tuesday – Nov 7 – Neuroembryology: This lecture examines the basic principles underlying the developmental emergence of the brain as a complex system.

   Readings
      Required
        (1) Chapter 6: Neuroembryology and Ontogenetic Origins of Behavior
            (pages 254-262).
   Lecture Notes

13. Thursday Nov 9 – Exam II

   Reading Topics
   Exam: sample, sample answers

14. Tuesday – Nov 14 – Behavioral Embryology I: Introduces sex and gender development.

   Readings
        (1) Chapter 7: Behavioral Embryology, (pages 289–317)
   Lecture Notes

15. Thursday Nov 16 – Behavioral Embryology I continued (possibly to II)

   Readings
        (1) Chapter 8: Cognitive Development and Developmental Psychobiology

   Lecture Notes: 

16.  Tuesday Nov 21 – Behavioral Embryology II: Introduces the study of behavioral embryology focusing on Norway Rats.

   Readings
        (1) Positive Geotaxis in Infant Rats (Rattus norvegicus): 
            A Natural Behavior and a Historical Correction

   Lecture Notes

17. Thursday Nov 23  – Thanksgiving

18. Tuesday Nov 28 – Animal Behavior and Cognition: Introduces issues in animal behavior and cognition that are especially relevant to the study of human development

   Readings
        (1) Chapter 9: Animal Behavior and Human Development, 
            (pages 383-403)

   Lecture Notes

19. Thursday Nov 30  – Pheromones: Introduces the notion of pheromones, their possible role in development in mice, and discusses their relevance to human behavior.

   Readings
        (1) Menstrual Synchrony and Supression
        (2) Women Do Not Synchronize Their Menstrual Cycles
        (3) Regulation of ovulation by human pheromones
        (4) Do Human Menstrual-Cycle Pheromones Exist?
        (5) Pheromonal influences on sociosexual behavior in young women

   Lecture Notes

20. Tuesday Dec 5  – Play and its Evolution: Introduces play and especially social play and how it may have evolved.

   Readings
        (1) Current Perspectives on the Biological Study
            of Play: Signs of Progress

   Lecture Notes

21. Thursday Dec 7– Exam III

   Reading Topics
   Exam: sample,sample answers

22. Wednesday Dec 13 – FINAL EXAM: – 1:00-3:00 PM

 


Units: 4

Prerequisite: permission of instructor

Course Objectives: You will become familiar with the basic ideas and methods of developmental biological psychology as an interdisciplinary science. The aim will be a deeper understanding of behavioral development through the integration of perspectives of  biology and psychology, including the relationships of evolution and genetics to development.

Time Class: TR 9:00-10:20 AM 
Bainer 1132

Labs: W: 12:10-2:00 PM; 2:10-4:00 PM  
162 Young


Lecture Instructor

Jeff Schank

Office: 268D Young Hall

Emailjcschank@ucdavis.edu

Phone: 752-6332

Office Hours:  Tuesday and Thursday: 10:30 to 11:30 AM and by appointment

Lab Instructors

Kai-Yin Lin (Section1: 12:10 pm-2:00 pm)

Office: Young Hall 189

Email: kyllin@ucdavis.edu

Office Hours: Wednesdays 10:00 am- 12:00pm

Jay Jefferson (Section 2 2:10 pm – 4:00pm)

Office: Young Hall 189

Email: jpjeff@ucdavis.edu

Office Hours: Thursdays 2:00 pm- 4:00 pm


What is Developmental Biological Psychology? Developmental biological psychology concerns changes in mind and behavior that take place over an individual’s lifetime. Topical phenomena for developmental biological psychology include behavior, motivation, emotion, cognition, and learning. However, merely listing the topics in biological psychology is not a definition of developmental biological psychology. To achieve a deeper understanding we will begin by examining how mind and behavior can emerge from the interaction of simpler components. To understand how mind and behavior emerge from a single zygote, we must understand basic principles of complex systems. The development of complex systems such as humans is a process of epigenesis in which mind and behavior emerge over time from the conditions present in previous stages. Factors affecting these stages can greatly alter the development of mind and behavior. From a scientific perspective, understanding epigenesis requires integrating information from multiple scientific disciplines including psychology, evolution, development, genetics to explain the development of mind and behavior.


Course Requirements

Midterm Exams: There will be three midterm exams consisting of 40 multiple choice questions. Each exam will constitute approximately 23.34% of the course grade, which will depend on whether you want to drop one exam and take the final. There will be no make up tests because I drop the lowest exam (including the final). Thus, the final is optional. If, for example, medical reasons cause you to miss two or more exams, then an incomplete for the course is the best option if you are in good standing (i.e., you have at least a C average for the material submitted).

Final Exam: The final exam will have the same format as the midterm exams (i.e., 40 multiple choice questions), except that it will be comprehensive. It will constitute 23.34% of the course grade but need not be taken if you are satisfied with your grades on the three previous exams, in which case, your 3 midterm exam scores will count towards 70% of your course grade. Final exams will only be given on the scheduled date, not earlier or later.  If, however, everyone agrees on changing the final to an earlier date or time, then I will move it to that earlier date or time.

Course Evaluation credit: If you fill out the course evalutation online at the end of the course, you can receive 1% added to your final percentage grade. This can make a half step difference in your grade. For example, if your total course grade percentage is 89% and you fill ount the course evaluation, then your final course grade will be 90% and your grade will have gone from a B+ to an A-. To get coure evaluation credit, email your TA after you have filled out the evalution and tell her/or him that you completed the course evaluation.

Lab: The lab will consist of two main projects. The first project will be a research paper and the final project will be presented as a poster. Lab projects will be group projects put together by groups 3 students (2 or 4 students when the numbers do not add up). Everyone in a group will receive the same grade. This is to your benefit since group work typically results in higher lab grades. You must, however, pull your own weight in your lab group or the lab grade you receive may be reduced in proportion to your lack of participation (this is determined by your TA). The lab grade itself will constitute 30% of the total course grade and your TA will have further details

Grading The total grade will consist of Exams (70%) + Lab Grade (30%)  =  100% + possible course evalutation credit of 1%


Class Email In addition to the listed office hours, please do not hesitate to send any questions or comments about the readings and lectures. I usually can get an answer back within a day or less. This may be especially important when reading the text, since the material presented is complex and the presentation is at a very high level. Topics from the assigned readings that may be covered in the tests will be provided in the course calendar. All announcements, changes, etc. will also be distributed by class email: psc113-f17@ucdavis.edu.


Readings: To keep costs down all readings are provided online so that you don’t have to buy any textbooks or other reading material. These readings are also available on the course website or are available publically. Reading topics for each exam will be posted together with a link to the online readings.


Lab Objectives:

• Obtain experience observing animal behaviors, collecting and analyzing data in a lab setting

• Learn to present research findings and write a scientific paper


Grading: Lab is 30 % of your grade in the course. Your lab grade will be assigned as follows:

Mouse paper grade 60%

Your paper will be written in groups of three, and each member of the group will be responsible for writing 1/3 of the paper and proofreading the writing of the other two group members.

Each student will either write [Introduction & Lab 3A], [Lab 1 & Lab 3B], or [Lab 2 & Conclusion]. The work is divided up this way to ensure everyone has an equal workload. Each section will present different challenges. All sections of the paper are important and must flow together well. To help you achieve this goal, you will be responsible for proofreading and editing the work of the other members in your group for understanding, grammar, and style. Usually, the final grade will be the same for all group members. If there is any group member complain about the the workloads, an individual paper section grade will be considered.

Mouse paper rough drafts 10%

Rough drafts for your paper section must be turned in on time (see due dates below). You get the full credits if you turn in on time and follow the correct APA format. Working on the draft could help to make progress every week and save your time on final report. Example:

• There was a significant difference in the litter size for C57 mice (M= 8.5, SD= 1.34) and Balb mice (M= 12.2, SD= 2.1) conditions; t(18) = 2.54, p= .001.

• Smaldino, P. E., & Schank, J. C. (2012) Movement patterns, social dynamics, and the evolution ofcooperation. Theoretical Population Biology, 82: 48-58.

Piglet poster 20%

As a group, you will analyze the piglet behavioral data you’ve collected and present the findings in a scientific poster.

Piglet data collection 5%

Email me the piglet data you’ve collected in the correct format before 5 pm the Sunday after each observation day for full credit. See Piglet Lab PDF for details

Lab participation 5%

Participation grades will be determined based on lab attendance, completion of lab questions and coming prepared to lab.

*Any late assignments will not be accepted


LAB SCHEDULE – Fall 2017


Lab Meetings  Labs Assignment Due
Week 1 (Sept 27) Organization meeting
Week 2 (Oct 4) Lab 0 & Lab 1
Week 3 (Oct 11) Lab2 Rough draft Lab1 due
Week 4 (Oct 18) Lab 3a Rough draft Lab 2 due
Week 5 (Oct 25) Lab 3b Rough draft Lab 3A due
Week 6 (Nov 1) Finish write ups; Prepare for Piglet Labs Lab3B due
Week 7 (Nov 8) Piglet lab preparation Mouse lab paper due
Week 8 (Nov 15) Piglet lab 1@ hog barn
Week 9 (Nov 22) Piglet lab 2@ hog barn
Week 10 (Nov 29) Analyze data, poster preparation
Week 11 (Dec 6) Poster session Poster due

 


Important Dates Academic Calendar