Module: Biological Psychology 2

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	Biological Psychology 2
Module Code	PSY1025 (ITS: PSYC202)
Faculty	Psychology	School	Science & Health
NFQ level	8	Credit Rating	5

Description

To extend the description and explanation of the biological basis of human behaviour and the theories of biological influences on behaviour.

Learning Outcomes

1. Explain the major theories and perspectives of biological psychology
2. Describe how the central, autonomic nervous and endocrine systems are involved in psychological processes
3. Define the biopsychosocial bases for a range of internal states
4. Describe how the central autonomic nervous and endocrine systems are involved in psychological processes
5. Describe how the sensory and sensorimotor systems function and affect behaviour
6. Describe and explain the biological basis of learning, memory and cognitive functioning, and identify and explain disorders of cognition
7. Describe and explain the development and plasticity of the nervous system, how neuroplasticity affects brain damage, and identify and explain degenerative diseases in the brain

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Lecture	24	No Description
Seminars	6	No Description
Independent Study	95	No Description
Total Workload: 125

Section Breakdown
CRN	20968	Part of Term	Semester 2
Coursework	0%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	Y
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Aoife Fitzpatrick	Module Teacher	Styliani Vlachou

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
In Class Test	Formative assessment in the form of MCQs and essay questions tests within the semester	30%	n/a
Formal Examination	End-of-Semester Final Examination	70%	End-of-Semester

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Biopsychology of Motivation (e.g., Regulation of internal states, such as temperature, hunger, thirst, eating disorders; Reproductive Behaviour, hormones and sex)

The Visual System: vision and visual perception

Other Sensory Systems: Hearing, Touch, Pain, Smell, Taste, Attention

The Sensorimotor System: brain mechanisms and control of movement, movement disorders

Learning and Memory

Intelligence and Cognitive Functioning; Disorders of Cognition

Development and Plasticity of the Nervous System

Brain Damage and Neuroplasticity

Degenerative Diseases of the Brain

Indicative Reading List

Books:

John P. J. Pinel: 2017, Introduction to Biopsychology, 10th, Pearson, Boston, MA, 9781292158471
Bob L. Garrett: 2015, Brain & Behavior: An Introduction to Biological Psychology, 4th, Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, CA, 9781452260952
James W. Kalat: 2015, Biological Psychology, 12th, Wodsworth Cengage Learning, Belmont, CA, 9781305105409
Suzanne Higgs, A. Cooper, J. Lee, M. Harris: 2015, Biological Psychology, Sage Publications, London, UK, 9780857022615
Neil R. Carlson: 2010, Physiology of behavior, 10th, Allyn & Bacon, Boston, MA, 0205666272
S.M. Breedlove, N.V. Watson: 2013, Biological Psychology, 7th, Sinaeur Associates, Sunderland, Massachusetts, 9780878939275
John G. Nicholls, A. R. Martin, P. A. Fuchs, D. A. Brown, M. E. Diamond, D. Weisblat: 2011, From Neuron to Brain, 5th, Sinauer Associates, Inc., Sunderland, MA, 0878934391
Dale Purves, George J. Augustine, David Fitzpatrick, William C. Hall, Anthony-Samuel LaMantia, Leonard E. White (eds.): 2011, Neuroscience, 5th, Sinaeur Associates, Inc., Sunderland, MA, 9780878936953
Andrew Wickens: 2009, Introduction to Biopsychology, 3rd, Pearson Education, Boston, MA, 9780132052962
Bryan Kolb, Ian Q. Whishaw,: 2014, An Introduction to Brain and Behavior, 4th, Macmillan, Worth Publishers, New York, USA, 9781429242288
Paul Aleixo (illustrations by Murray Baillon): 2008, Biological psychology: an illustrated survival guide, 1st, John Wiley and Sons, Oxford, UK, 9780470870990
Lisa Wise: 2010, Introduction to Psychobiology, Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, CA, 0761960791
L. Squire, D. Berg, F. Bloom, S. du Lac, A. Ghosh: 2008, Fundamental Neuroscience, 3rd, Academic Press, San Diego, CA, 978-0123740199
B. W. Connors, M. A. Paradiso, M. F. Bear: 2006, Neuroscience: Exploring the Brain, 3rd, Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore, MD, 978-0781760034
Richard Dawkins: 2006, The Selfish Gene, Open University Press, Berkshire, UK, 0192860925
Edward O. Wilson: 2005, From so simple a beginning: Darwin's four great books (Voyage of the Beagle; The Origin of Species; The decent of Man; The experience of emotion in Man and Animals), W.W. Norton & Co., New York, NY, 0393061345
F. Scott Kraly: 2009, The unwell brain: understanding the psychobiology of mental health, W.W. Norton & Co., New York, NY, 9780393705966
Frederick Toates: 2000, Biological Psychology: an integrative approach, Pearson Education, Boston, MA, 9780273745754
John Stein, Catherine Stoodley: 2006, Neuroscience: an Introduction, 1st, John Wiley and Sons, Oxford, UK, 978-1861563897
Eric R. Kandel, James H. Schwartz, Thomas M. Jessell: 2000, Principles of Neural Science, 4th, McGraw-Hill, New York, NY, 978-0071120005
Eric R. Kandel: 2007, In Search of Memory: the emergence of a new science of mind, WW Norton and Co., London, UK, 978-0393329377
Larry R. Squire, Eric R. Kandel: 2008, Memory: from mind to molecules, 2nd, Roberts & Company Publishers, Greenwood Village, CO, 978-0981519418

Articles:
None

Other Resources

None