Last modified: 26 Aug 2025 15:16
This course aims to provide students with a good understanding of the biological basis of behaviour and cognition. The course is split into two sections, each featuring five lectures. Section 1 focuses on neuropsychology, examining what can be learnt about psychological processes from studying patients with brain damage. Section 2 focuses on psychopharmacology, which is the investigation of the effect of medication on brain function. Specific topics covered include the following: impaired object and face recognition; amnesia; disorders of motor control; neurotransmitters; drug effects; psychological disorders.
| Study Type | Undergraduate | Level | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Term | First Term | Credit Points | 15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits) |
| Campus | Aberdeen | Sustained Study | No |
| Co-ordinators |
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Neuropsychology lectures will focus on the insights that have been gained from patient studies, but also the problems and pitfalls with using patient data to understand healthy brain function. Psychopharmacology lectures will examine how the study of psychoactive drugs can inform our understanding of both healthy brain function and psychological disorders.
Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 70 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
A 1,200-word Essay worth 70% of the overall grade. Detailed written feedback using Turnitin to annotate submitted essays and explain the mark. Opportunity for students to discuss feedback with course tutors. |
Word Count | 1200 | |
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
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| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 30 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
A 1-hour on-campus Multiple-Choice Questions Exam worth 30% of the overall grade. |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
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| Assessment Type | Formative | Weighting | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
Feedback on accuracy in tests. |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Apply | Give students a better appreciation of the multiple causes of abnormal behaviour and cognitive processes, as well as developments in the application of biological psychology to real-life circumstances |
| Conceptual | Evaluate | Students will learn to critically evaluate topics related to biological psychology and to communicate this in coursework and exam essays. |
| Factual | Understand | To further knowledge of the relationship between biological processes affecting the brain and normal and abnormal behaviour and cognition. |
| Procedural | Analyse | Students will acquire skills to understand and evaluate different approaches to research in biological psychology |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 100 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback | ||||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Procedural | Analyse | Students will acquire skills to understand and evaluate different approaches to research in biological psychology |
| Conceptual | Evaluate | Students will learn to critically evaluate topics related to biological psychology and to communicate this in coursework and exam essays. |
| Conceptual | Apply | Give students a better appreciation of the multiple causes of abnormal behaviour and cognitive processes, as well as developments in the application of biological psychology to real-life circumstances |
| Factual | Understand | To further knowledge of the relationship between biological processes affecting the brain and normal and abnormal behaviour and cognition. |
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