Application of the theory of biological evolution to understanding the origins and structure of the human mind.

An introduction to animal behaviour from a biological perspective, stressing ecological and evolutionary aspects of behaviour. The course will review the neural, endocrine and physiological mechanisms mediating animals' natural behaviours, as well as how gene-environment interactions during development modify these behavioural mechanisms.

The course will focus on the development and adult organization of brain mechanisms underlying the perception of social information and production of diverse social behaviours in mammalian species. Circumstances and events that can lead to diminished function and psychopathology in humans will be considered.

This course is an introduction to the scientific study of human sexuality. Topics covered may include sexual development, sexual orientation, sex practices, sexuality across the lifespan, sexual dysfunction and sexually transmitted diseases.

An introduction to the genetic analysis of behaviour. The concepts and methods of classical Mendelian genetics, quantitative genetics, and recombinant DNA technology-based reverse and forward genetic approaches will be discussed as they relate to the analysis of animal behaviour.

A comparative survey of cognitive processes in animals from an ecological and evolutionary perspective. The course will examine topics including perception, working and reference memory, simple associative and complex relational learning, and concept formation.

In this course, you will become familiar with theory and principles underpinning approaches to measuring the brain. The course will focus on techniques used in human neuroscience research. Students will gain skills relevant to the processing, visualization, analysis, interpretation, and reporting of brain data.

In this course, you will be guided through hands-on laboratory exercises to learn how behavioural paradigms, along with anatomical, genetic, and physiological methods, can be used to answer questions relevant to behavioural neuroscience research.

This course covers selected topics pertaining to higher cognitive processes including expertise, consciousness, creativity, and human and artificial intelligence.

Your everyday life hinges on the ability to encode perceptual information around you (what’s in the fridge?) and build a model of the world in your mind (need to buy milk) so that you can retrieve information later when you need it (at the grocery store). How does your mind and brain support this fundamental yet complex mental ability? In this course, you will learn how human memory works, drawing on key findings in cognitive psychology and recent advances in neuroscience.

In this course, students will learn how to design and propose original experiments to answer scientific questions of their interest in the field of cognitive psychology. Students will discover the mechanisms involved in the processing of information by engaging with various methodologies used by cognitive psychologists and learn to analyze real data using advanced computational and statistical software.

How can understanding perception help to explain what we do in the world? In this course, we will consider questions from engineering and human factors through the lens of perceptual research, tackling the human side of design and engineering problems. Topics include driver behaviour, interface design, data visualization and the perceptual and psychological foundations that dictate their success or failure.

An examination of the psychological foundations of music perception and performance. Consideration of processing differences between naive and experienced listeners, biological foundations of music processing, cultural contributions to music processing, theoretical perspectives on the origins of music, music and emotion, and the non-musical implications of musical training.

In this course, students will learn how to develop and design experiments to answer scientific questions of their interest in the study of perception. Students will learn psychophysical methods, which relate the physical properties of the world to perceptual experience, and apply these advanced methods by carrying out experiments and analyzing data.

An introduction to the biological and psychological aspects of pain, as a multidimensional bodily sensation, an adaptive solution to threatening stimuli and a clinical problem. Pain will be introduced from a phenomenological perspective, focusing on the ways in which social, situational, psychological and organismic factors can alter pain. An awareness of the current challenges and unanswered questions in pain research and management will be fostered.

Epigenetics encompasses the study of stable alterations in gene activity that occur independent of changes to genetic sequence. Epigenetics has been implicated in all aspects of behaviour, from responding to maternal behaviour in early life to mediating cognitive function in aging and dementia. This course will describe how epigenetics shapes development, learning, memory, stress response, and mental illness in animal and human models.

This course will review major topics in human neuropsychology, with an emphasis on human function. Sample topics include issues such as memory disorders and models of memory, split-brain research, language and aphasia, attention, emotion, and executive functions.

This course introduces students to the biological mechanisms underlying nervous system diseases through an in-depth examination of selected disorders. Beginning with Prion diseases (e.g., “Mad Cow Disease”), the course covers the biological foundations of nervous system diseases, using research articles, patient case studies, and clinical trials to explore how these diseases manifest and progress. By analyzing these elements, students will gain insight into the development of emerging therapies and scientific approaches to treating nervous system diseases.

This course is an introduction to the field of Behavioural Neuroendocrinology -- the study of relationships between hormones, the nervous system, and behaviour in a variety of species from a comparative perspective. Behavioural/functional systems may include reproductive behaviour, social behavior, biological rhythms, eating, and stress.

How do our brains process the world around us? What does brain activity look like when we detect changes in our surroundings? Where in the brain do we store memories, appreciate music, or comprehend stories? This course outlines current experimental neuroscience techniques that uncover how humans process sensory and cognitive information. You will learn what sorts of questions neuroscience techniques can address and the importance of combining brain and behaviour to understand key concepts in psychology.

An examination of experimental findings and theory documenting the plasticity of the brain and its relationship to behaviour. The course will discuss the molecular, synaptic, cellular and circuitry components of neural plasticity in relation to learning and experience.

This course provides third year undergraduate students who have developed an understanding of psychological research methods with an opportunity to participate in the research program of a faculty member in return for course credit. Enrolled students will have the opportunity to become involved in original research, enhance their research skills and share in the excitement of acquiring new knowledge and in the discovery process of science. Participating faculty members post their project descriptions for the following summer and fall/winter sessions in early February and students are invited to apply in early March. See Experiential and International Opportunities for more details.

This course provides third year undergraduate students who have developed an understanding of psychological research methods with an opportunity to participate in the research program of a faculty member in return for course credit. Enrolled students will have the opportunity to become involved in original research, enhance their research skills and share in the excitement of acquiring new knowledge and in the discovery process of science. Participating faculty members post their project descriptions for the following summer and fall/winter sessions in early February and students are invited to apply in early March. See Experiential and International Opportunities for more details.

Independent research supervised by individual faculty members. Seminars on general topics relevant to the conduct of independent research, student research proposals, and the presentation of findings. To register in the course, students must obtain approval from a faculty supervisor, and apply for and obtain approval from Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences (see the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences website for details). Advanced-level students who do not meet the stated course prerequisites but who possess relevant research experience may be admitted at the discretion of the course instructor. In addition to the seminar component, students complete at least 72 hours of research in the laboratory of their supervisor.

Note: Entry to the course is competitive. Satisfaction of minimum requirements does not guarantee admission to the course.

As a science, psychology investigates why and how humans and nonhuman animals feel, think, and behave in the ways they do. Our discoveries can be harnessed for societal good when the insights gained from psychological research are communicated accurately to the public. In this course, students will participate in seminars to learn to communicate effectively about scientific discoveries and engage in the process of knowledge translation. Students will also work with a Psychology faculty supervisor to create and deliver knowledge translation products.

Note: To register in the course, students must obtain approval from a faculty supervisor, and apply for and obtain approval from the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences (see the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences website for details).

Where did the field of psychology come from, and where is it going? In this course we will explore these questions through the lens of theoretical frameworks, experimental methods, ideas that have (or have not) endured, recent advances, and promising new directions.

Independent research on a specific aspect of human or animal behaviour. Students arrange for a Faculty supervisor during the preceding term.

Independent research on a specific aspect of human or animal behaviour. Students arrange for a Faculty supervisor during the preceding term.

Independent research on a specific aspect of human or animal behaviour. Students arrange for a Faculty supervisor during the preceding term.

Independent research on a specific aspect of human or animal behaviour. Students arrange for a Faculty supervisor during the preceding term.