MAKING KNOWLEDGE WORK

THE CENTRE FOR PSYCHOLOGY STUDIES

MODULE HANDBOOK

YEAR 1

Psychobiology and Perception

2008/2009
 Psychobiology and Perception
This module is a 20-credit, 2-Semester linked Module.

Introduction
This module consists of two aspects of psychology: 1) the basic structure and function
of the nervous system and physiological mechanisms that give rise to behaviour; and 2) the
specific function and features of our sensory systems that allow us to perceive and attend to
our environment. Many students of psychology are surprised to discover that the study of
mind and behaviour has a large biological component, but we are animals and our biology
gives rise to our behaviour. Indeed many pathological conditions that affect our behaviour
and ability to interact with the world arise from faulty biological systems. Many treatments
involving surgery or drugs to alleviate disorders e.g. antidepressants or frontal lobotomy
target parts of the brain thought to control various aspects of our minds. Thus paradoxically,
we can learn a great deal about the normal brain by studying abnormalities and pathological
conditions. The material in this module is part of the British Psychological Society (BPS) core
curriculum.
In the first semester of this module you will be introduced to the basic biology of the
brain and periphery thought to be important for controlling normal behaviour. We will use a
reductionist approach and begin with studying cell activity peculiar to neurons, the basic
building block of the brain and spinal cord, and consider how various grouping of these cells
seem to be responsible for controlling obvious behaviours like motor function. Moreover we
will begin to look at how these cells pass information between each other and briefly
introduce the idea of how complex behaviours like pain are controlled. You will also have the
opportunity to do a bit of practical work looking at basic human physiology and function,
anatomy and techniques used to explore the biology of behaviour.
In the second semester of the module you will be introduced to perceptual mechanisms
and specific sensory function. Perception may be seen as a part of both biological psychology
and cognitive psychology. It involves the study of how our sense organs and brain working
together give us information about the outside world. In reality, the study of perception is
quite inter-disciplinary and also overlaps with neuroscience, artificial intelligence, computer
science and optometry, to name a few. In the second half of the Psychobiology and Perception
module you will study a number of areas related to perception, ranging from the cognitive to
the biological. Perception forms part of the BPS Syllabus.
Some students may find the material a bit difficult because they have limited prior
experience with biology. We will approach this module with the view that everyone needs a
good refresher course and we will assume no prior knowledge.

STAFF
Psychobiology will be taught by Dr. Jim Smythe. I can be reached on extension 3361 (or
leave a message) but email is the best medium at j.w.smythe@bradford.ac.uk. If you can
catch me in my office (K17) I would be happy to chat with you.

Perception is taught by Dr David Keeble. I can be found in G37, my extension is 6252, and
my email is D.R.T.Keeble@Bradford.ac.uk. You are welcome to make an appointment to see
me if you have questions about the Perception part of this module. Alternatively, you can
email me with questions.
PSYCHOBIOLOGY DETAILS (SEMESTER 1)

Lecture outline:

1. Gross anatomy of the brain and spinal cord.

2. Cranial nerves and functions.
3. Neurons and glia as building blocks of the nervous system.
4. Structure and function of chemical synapses.
5. Delineation of central and peripheral nervous system into somatic and autonomic components.
6. Neural mechanisms controlling movement.
7. Neural mechanisms of eating and drinking.

There will be 4 laboratory sessions in addition to these lectures:

1. Basic brain and spinal cord anatomy.

Using videos, diagrams and models we will examine the gross anatomy of the brain and consider
species differences in these.

2. In-depth brain anatomy and tissue preparation techniques.

We will demonstrate the techniques used to cut and prepare brain tissue for histological examination
and look at various structures under the microscope.

3. Physiological techniques used in biological psychology

In this session we will consider how we go about studying brain function in mammals considering
recording, lesioning and behavioural methods. Principles of electrical recording in nervous tissue will
be revealed by ECG analysis.

4. Sensory and motor function.

In this session we will examine basic reflexive properties of nerves and muscles and measure nerve
conduction speeds using reaction time. We will also look at skin sensitivity and reaction to damage in
relation to pain perception and sensitivity.

Details of rooms and group breakdown for labs will be provided closer to the time.

Reading List
There are many good books covering these topics for introductory psychology students. I
recommend:

Carlson N R (1995) Foundations of Physiological Psychology, 3rd Edition, Allyn & Bacon,
Massachusetts

However most introductory physiological psychology textbooks are similar.

There will be handouts to guide the laboratory sections that you will be expected to read.
PERCEPTION DETAILS (SEMESTER 2)

The recommended text for Perception is:

Blake R and Sekuler R (2005). Perception 5th Edition. New York, McGraw-Hill. ISBN
0071112723. ~£35.00 - An excellent book that covers much of the material in the course.
Good illustrations, sidebars and written in understandable language. There are a large
number of copies of this book in the library. The 4th-edition is a reasonable alternative –
having a copy would be better than having no book at all.

A close-running second recommended text is: Snowden. R., Thompson, P. and

Troscianko, T. ( 2006). Basic Vision: an introduction to visual perception, Oxford
University Press, ISBN 0-19-928670-1 £28.99. This is a lively and interesting text aimed
at the right level for this module. It is also the only one of the recommended books to
contain significant numbers of jokes. I have asked the library and the bookshop to obtain
copies of it, and as of writing (18/09/08) has 10 copies “on order”. The only reason it it
not “the” recommended text is that it only covers vision, and not the other senses. I have
tried to persuade one of the authors in the pub to produce a second edition which does
includes the other senses, but this has not been written at this time.

Other useful books:

Gregory R.L (1998). Eye and Brain: The psychology of seeing. 5th Edition. Oxford,
Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-854212-9. ~£11.00 - Another excellent book written
by one of the world’s best ambassadors for vision science, Richard Gregory. Compact,
cheap(ish) and written for the non-specialist it is a good book for getting an overview of
our knowledge of visual perception.

Palmer PE (1999). Vision Science London, MIT Press. ISBN 0-262-16183-4 ~£50.00.
An incredibly wide-ranging book that covers almost all areas of vision science.

Bruce V., Green P.R. and Georgeson M.A. (1996). Visual Perception: Physiology,
Psychology and Ecology. 3rd Edition. Hove. Psychology Press. ISBN 0-86377-451-2.
~£20.00. A low-cost book that attempts to cover a wide range of material from anatomy
and structure of the eye and the brain through to philosophical theories of visual
perception. It consequently takes a fast pace through the subjects and can be rather
selective in the material it covers. The third edition is considerably expanded and updated
and has been written in an easier to understand style than the earlier second edition. It is
most useful when you have a basic knowledge of each subject already.

Goldstein, E.B. (1999) Sensation and perception. 5th Edition, Pacific GroveLondon
Brooks/Cole. Covers similar ground to the Sekuler and Blake book and at a similar level.
Some may find the style more to their liking.

Tovée. Martin J. (1996). An introduction to the visual system. Cambridge. Cambridge

University Press. ISBN 0-521-48339-5. This low-cost book presents clearly written
explanations covering some of the basic areas in the course. Useful summaries are
presented at the end of each chapter. This is a useful book for a second opinion on basic
material, or if you have a particular interest in the more esoteric topics which it covers.

Wolfe, J.M., Kluender, K.R. and Levi, D.M. (2006). Sensation & Perception, Sinauer
Associates, Inc 0-87893-5. This book is novel in that it has a very good website which
can be used without buying the book. It has many useful demos. You can find it at:
http://www.sinauer.com/wolfe/home/startF.htm. It is also very useful as the lectures
for hearing, smell, taste and touch are based around material in the book.

Mather, G. (2006). Foundations of Perception, Psychology Press, 0-86377-834-8.

Copies of almost all these books can be found in the library, mostly around S612.84.
The lectures will be presented using Powerpoint slides, which will be made available before
or shortly after the lecture on Blackboard. These slides will form important study materials for
this module and revision materials for the exam, and it is recommended that students use them
for this purpose. Other useful documents and important announcements will be disseminated
via Blackboard. Podcasts of most of my lectures will probably be available on Blackboard.

Mathematics. Very little mathematics will be required for studying Perception in this module.
The most important skill is the ability to understand information presented in graphical form.
Logarithmic axes may be used from time to time. Occasionally equations may be used to
explain concepts.

Outline of the Lectures

Please note that this is approximate, and may vary in terms of the number of lectures for each
topic, and the order in which they are given. I hope to cover this material in 9 2-hour lectures.

1) Introduction & Overview; Evolution of eyes; rods and cones, adaptation and spectral
sensitivity
What perception is and some of the ways we can study it. Brief description of the human
sensory systems. A survey of the different kinds of eyes and visual systems found in nature.
How the visual system copes with different light levels (adaptation) and different wavelengths
of light.
2) Different theoretical approaches to the study of perception
A variety of different theoretical frameworks have been used to think about perception. Some
of the ones discussed are: structuralism, Gestalt approaches, constructivism, ecological optics
& direct perception, Marr & the computational approach.
3) Visual pathways: retina, lateral geniculate nucleus and visual cortex
We take a stroll down the visual pathways of the brain, from the eye to the visual cortex. The
properties and functions of the various neurons we find on the way are discussed. Blind spot,
change blindness & blindsight are also demonstrated.
4) Spatial vision & Temporal vision
How the brain interprets images that vary across space and across time. Contrast. How
receptive fields explain some brightness illusions.
5) Illusions
What happens when the visual system doesn’t provide accurate information about the world
and what this tells us about how our visual system works.

6) Audition
The auditory pathways and the importance of frequency for hearing. Auditory sound
localization.
7) Touch, Olfaction and Gustation
What we know about touch, smell & taste.
8) Colour Vision
How the visual system processes colour information. Trichromacy. Opponent coding. What is
colour? Why do organisms find colour information useful. Colour constancy.
9) Stereopsis and Depth Perception
Why two eyes are better than one and other ways of knowing how far away things are.
Monocular cues to depth: occlusion, aerial perspective, familiar size, texture, shading, motion
parallax, looming/optic flow. Binocular cues: stereopsis & vergence. Random dot
stereograms.

ASSESSMENTS FOR THIS MODULE

There are two assessments for this module.

1) There will be a piece of coursework based on the psychobiology material in the first
semester, which will be due towards the end of the first semester (date to be announced).
This is 50% of the marks for the module.

2) The June exam will be on perception and will be 1.5 hours in duration. It will consist
of some short-answer questions and some long-answer questions. It is 50% of the marks
for the module. A sample paper will be made available on Blackboard. A formative (ie it
does not contribute to the module mark) multiple-choice test (MCQ) will be made
available towards the in the second semester to help students gauge their understanding
of the material presented. Note that the number of questions on each of the above
lectures is not the same. See lecture Powerpoints for more details.
Level 1 Marking Criteria

75-100
A clearly structured work in which the specific assessment criteria are correctly
addressed. Accurate interpretation of theoretical positions and an ability to
criticize them. Arguments supported by evidence and interpretation, showing
some original thought or creative synthesis. Confident use of specialist
vocabulary and an excellent use of English. Correct referencing.

70-74
Displays many of the characteristics of the above band with some ability for
creative synthesis which could be developed.

60 –69
Good structure and specific assessment criteria are correctly addressed.
Accurate interpretation of theoretical positions and an awareness of criticisms.
Arguments supported by evidence but lacks originality. Accurate use of specialist
vocabulary and good use of English. Correct referencing.

50-59
A well structured work which addresses the assessment criteria. Theoretical
concepts are well represented but is mainly descriptive. Some minor flaws or
inaccuracies. Good use of English and correct referencing.

40-49
Specific assessment criteria partially addressed, with parts of the assignment
underdeveloped. Some areas of the argument are unclear, and/or uncertain use
of theory and specialist vocabulary. Referencing and use of English need
improving.

35-39
Marginal fail. Vaguely address the assessment criteria and uses some
appropriate material, but generalization indicates knowledge of basic concepts is
lacking. Poor referencing practice and careless use of English. However, shows
some potential.

25-34
Poor structure and argument, lacking relevance to the specific assessment
criteria, but can demonstrate some knowledge of material relevant to it. Little
referencing and poor use of English.

10-24
Little understanding of the assessment criteria and little knowledge of material
relevant to it. The work is largely conversational or rambling and confused. Little
or no referencing and poor use of English.

0-9
Fails to address the assessment criteria and shows no knowledge of relevant
material or the issues involved.
Module Title: Psychobiology and Perception

Module Type: Linked 10+10 Academic Year: 2008/9

Module Code: SS-1403L Module Occurrence: A
Module Credit: 20 Teaching Period: Semester 1
Level: 1 (Undergraduate)

Provider: Social Sciences and Humanities

Related Department / Subject Area: AS
Principal Co-ordinator: Dr D Keeble
Additional Tutors: Dr J Smythe

Prerequisite(s): None
Corequisite(s): None

Aims:
In the Psychobiology portion of this module you will explore the basic
organisation of the nervous system from cellular to systems level. The aim of the
Perception portion of the module is to stimulate a conceptual understanding of
the psychology and physiology of the normal human sensory system, with an
emphasis on vision.

Learning Teaching & Assessment Strategy:

Factual and descriptive topics such as anatomical structures and organisation of
motor and sensory systems will be taught using lectures, and various
demonstration of sensory function will be illustrated in lectures. Practical classes
will be used to provide an opportunity to work in small groups with body models
to reinforce understanding of psychobiology. A formative MCQ will provide
feedback on the Perception content.

Study Hours:
Lectures: 30.00 Directed Study: 156.50
Seminars/Tutorials: 0.00 Formal Exams: 1.50
Laboratory/Practical: 12.00 Other: 0.00 Total: 200

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding

On successful completion of this module you will be able to...
Describe the structure and function of the nervous system, and how sensory and
motor systems are organised. Acquire an appreciation for the interplay between
endocrine gland hormones and organisation and activational effects on the brain
and subsequent behavioural output. Detail the neural control of eating, drinking,
sleeping and pain perception. Describe different methods for studying perception.
Describe some of the mechanisms of human perception. Outline the physiology
of vision and other senses. Explain the essential principles in psychophysics
2. Subject-Specific Skills
On successful completion of this module you will be able to...
Follow standard protocols to carry out a simple experiment on arousal with
human subjects Collect and analyse basic experimental data, and practice report
preparation and writing.

3. Personal Transferable Skills

On successful completion of this module you will be able to...
Develop organisational skills in undertaking group work; effective planning and
participation in teamwork. Use of IT skills to prepare written reports, and seek out
web-based information.

Mode of Assessment:
1 Assessment Type Duration (hours) Percentage
Coursework
-
50%
Description
1,500 - 2,000 word assignment (Sem 1)

2 Assessment Type Duration (hours) Percentage

Examination - closed book
1.5
50%
Description
Unseen Examination - 1.5 hrs (Sem 2)

Supplementary Assessment:
As Above
(Note: 'As Original' indicates that Supplementary Assessment will take the same
form as the Mode(s) of Assessment).

Outline Syllabus:
Gross anatomy of the brain and spinal cord. Cranial nerves and functions.
Neurons and glia as building blocks of the nervous system. Structure and
function of chemical synapses. Delineation of central and peripheral nervous
system into somatic and autonomic components. Neural mechanisms controlling
movement. Neural mechanisms of eating and drinking. Neural mechanisms of
pain. Neural mechanisms of brain reward. Role of hormones on the control of
brain function and the control of the 'master' gland (pituitary) by brain
mechanisms. Overview of Perception. Evolution of eyes. Rods and cones.
Spectral sensitivity. Introduction to colour vision. Visual pathways: retina, lateral
geniculate nucleus and visual cortex. Spatial vision and temporal vision. Illusions.
Contrast sensitivity function. Introduction to stereopsis. The ear and auditory
system. Touch. Olfaction and gustation. Psychophysics.

Version No: 2