Physiological Psychology 3 PSYCH4065

  • Academic Session: 2025-26
  • School: School of Psychology and Neuroscience
  • Credits: 10
  • Level: Level 4 (SCQF level 10)
  • Typically Offered: Semester 2
  • Available to Visiting Students: Yes
  • Collaborative Online International Learning: No
  • Curriculum For Life: No

Short Description

This module provides a broad-based understanding of classic and contemporary theory and research in Physiological Psychology.

Timetable

There will be 10 hours of teaching, including on campus lectures

Requirements of Entry

Entry to Honours Psychology is guaranteed by a B2 average over Psychology 2A and 2B as well as the fulfilment of College regulations.

Excluded Courses

None

Assessment

100% Examination

Main Assessment In: April/May

Are reassessment opportunities available for all summative assessments? Not applicable for Honours courses

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. For non Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

Course Aims

This course aims to provide students with a broad-based knowledge of classic and contemporary theory, research and methodology in Physiological Psychology. By engaging with classic and contemporary research in areas such as neuroendocrinology, evolutionary psychology, neuropsychology and brain imaging, students will develop the skills to evaluate specialised research methods, and be able to critique research findings and interpretations. This course explores how biological and physiological processes can impact psychological and behavioural outcomes, and affect real-world situations. By engaging with this course students will be able to think critically about how physiological psychology research is portrayed in media, and will be able to evaluate how physiological psychology research can be applied to contemporary issues in society.

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ Demonstrate critical understanding of biological/ physiological processes that can influence psychological outcomes, by being able to explain and/or compare these processes (such as; the action of neurotransmitters, the action of hormones, immunological processes, and the functional organization of the cortex etc.), and identify and discuss the ways in which they can affect psychological or behavioural outcomes.

■ Apply evidence from recent psychology and neuroscience research to demonstrate how techniques and methods (such as hormone sampling and analysis, mobile imagine techniques, task related fMRI, or a neurophysiological approach etc.), can be used to investigate physiological influences on psychological outcomes.

■ Critically evaluate methodologies used in physiological psychology research and discuss how this can affect our interpretation of results, reliability of findings or generalizability of studies.

■ Critically evaluate how physiological/ biological approaches, theories or models can help address real world problems and/ or aide our understanding of human psychology.

Minimum Requirement for Award of Credits

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment