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PS4108   Animal Models in Psychology and Neuroscience

Academic year(s): 2023-2024

Key information

SCOTCAT credits : 15

ECTS credits : 7

Level : SCQF level 10

Semester: 1

Availability restrictions: Available only to students in the second year of the Honours programme and MSc students.

Planned timetable: Tuesday 9-11am

Have you ever wondered why animals are used in psychology and neuroscience? Why do we study primate behaviour to better understand human behaviour? Why are zebra finches used to grasp how human language is learnt? What use are invertebrates for understanding human (a vertebrate) locomotion? In this module, you will learn about the animals frequently used in psychology and neuroscience research (e.g. chimpanzees, rats, and zebra finches). We will discuss key physiological and behavioural characteristics of the animals, and explain why these characteristics make them good models for certain areas of research, while also explaining how these behavioural and physiological characteristics must be accounted for when designing your experiment(s) (e.g. rats are nocturnal, so probably wouldn’t be wise to investigate search behaviour in the middle of the day).

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact: 1 lectures (x10 weeks), 1 seminar (x10 weeks), 2 practical (x1 week)

Scheduled learning hours: 37

Guided independent study hours: 115

Assessment pattern

As used by St Andrews: Coursework = 100%


Re-assessment: Coursework = 100%

Personnel

Module coordinator: Dr S C Edwards
Module teaching staff: Dr Sophie Edwards
Module coordinator email se30@st-andrews.ac.uk

Intended learning outcomes

  • Students will understand the importance of animals in psychology and neuroscience research.
  • Students will be able to communicate a sensitive subject to a lay audience.
  • By the end of the module students should be able to critically evaluate and present research articles.
  • Students will be able to work to tight deadlines while producing a variety of assessments
  • Students will be able to apply their understanding of animal behaviour and physiology to a novel system.