Overview
This unit introduces students to the biological bases of human behaviour. It examines the physiological bases of behaviour, including basic evolutionary processes, and the structures and functions of the human brain and nervous system; sensory and perceptual processes; conditioning and learning; and cognitive processes, including memory, reasoning and problem-solving, and language. It is a requirement of enrolment that students have access to the CQU Website via the Internet.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2018
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Student Feedback
Students appreciated the incorporation of real-life examples which assisted in understanding lecture content.
Continue the use of case studies and scenarios in lectures to illustrate key concepts.
Feedback from Student Feedback
Some students stated that the time allowed for the quiz was insufficient to accurately assess their knowledge (sixty questions in sixty minutes).
Consider increasing the time limit to 90 minutes for quizzes.
Feedback from Student Feedback
Students commented that occasionally the sound quality on Zoom sessions and ISL recordings was of low quality.
The lapel microphone was used for lectures - perhaps this could be better placed? Students asking questions / making comments felt awkward walking over the room microphones. A smaller room with desk microphones would be a better option.
Feedback from Student Feedback
Students generally found the Moodle site easy to navigate and work with.
Kudos to the Moodle team! Continue to make Moodle clear and accessible.
- have a good, general, knowledge of the major principles and theories of the Biological Foundations of Psychology
- have a knowledge of the application of these principles to both human and non-human behaviour
- have developed writing, research and statistical skills
Many who show an interest in psychology ask the question 'What do you do when you study psychology?' The answer to this is not simple because psychology is a complex and comprehensive field. During this unit (and Social Foundations of Psychology PSYC11009) you will gain a familiarity with the breadth of Psychology taught at CQU. As a student of Psychology you will learn, not only about human (and non-human) behaviour, but also about the methodology and techniques of Psychology.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 10% | |||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 30% | |||
| 3 - Online Quiz(zes) - 60% | |||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Communication | |||
| 2 - Problem Solving | |||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | |||
| 4 - Information Literacy | |||
| 5 - Team Work | |||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | |||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | |||
| 8 - Ethical practice | |||
| 9 - Social Innovation | |||
| 10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 10% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 30% | ||||||||||
| 3 - Online Quiz(zes) - 60% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
Psychology
4th Australian and New Zealand Edition (2015)
Authors: Burton, L., Westen, D., & Kowalski, R.
John Wiley & Sons Australia
Milton Milton , Queensland , Australia
ISBN: 9780730304685 (softcover)
Binding: Other
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association
Edition: 6th (2009)
Authors: American Psychologcial Association
Footprint Books
Sydney Sydney , NSW , Australia
ISBN: 978-1-4338-0561-5 (softcover)
Binding: Other
Additional Textbook Information
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 6th Edition (APA 6th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
c.j.crawford@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Unit overview
Assessments
Academic writing
Chapter
Chapter 1
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Neurons
Action potentials
Building new networks
Chapter
Chapter 3
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Brain bits
Chapter
Chapter 3
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Making sense of senses - Part A
Chapter
Chapter 4
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Making sense of senses - Part B
Chapter
Chapter 4
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Emotion, thinking and behaviour
Chapter
No reading this week
Events and Submissions/Topic
Quiz 1 (covering weeks 1-5)
Opens Thursday 19th April at 1200 AEST
Closes Friday 20th April at 2345 AEST
Module/Topic
Learning about learning
Chapter
Chapter 6
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Memories are made of this
Chapter
Chapter 7
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Contradictions of consciousness
Chapter
Chapter 5
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Intelligence
Chapter
Chapter 9
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Neurological disorders
Chapter
Chapter 16
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Review
The future of biological psychology
Chapter
No reading this week
Events and Submissions/Topic
Quiz 2 (covering weeks 7-11)
Opens Thursday 31st May at 1200 AEST
Closes Friday 1st June at 2345 AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Written Assessment
Assessment 1 introduction:
- Learning is an essential element for survival. Changes within the brain (neural plasticity) underlie the learning process.
- It is generally accepted that neural plasticity is most active in young organisms as during this time there is a need to learn essential skills.
- However, there is a growing body of evidence which suggests neural plasticity continues to be active throughout the organism's life.
- Hence neural plasticity plays a vital role: from learning a first language, to developing new patterns of thinking through psychotherapy, to recovery from a stroke.
- Your task is to read and critically review a journal article that discusses the evidence for neural plasticity and learning.
Assessment 1 instructions:
- Download the journal article from the following url: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3004979/
- Write a critical summary of 250 words (+/- 10%). This does not include your references.
- Include a title page.
- Use appropriate APA formatting in-text.
- Include a reference page with correct APA formatting.
- An abstract is not required.
- Submit the assessment via the Moodle as a Word doc or docx file with your last name and initial i.e. crawfordc.doc
- It is good practice to submit the assessment a couple of days before the due date to allow Turnitin to review your work.
Follow the assessment structure below. The total for this assessment task is 10 marks
Introduction/Literature Review (2 marks)
- In ONE or TWO sentences outline the issue being investigated.
- In ONE sentence explain why this issue was important enough to research.
Method (2 marks)
- In TWO sentences describe how participants were recruited and how many participants were in the final sample?
- In ONE or TWO sentences list the dependent variable(s).
Results/Discussion (4 marks)
- Pick ONE of the main findings discussed in this section and in TWO sentences describe the finding AND what it means.
- In ONE or TWO sentences describe a methodological issue that may have impacted on the findings.
- In ONE or TWO sentences describe the future direction for research noted by the authors.
- In ONE or TWO sentences summarise the overall conclusion of the article.
Correct use of APA formatting (2 marks)
Week 4 Monday (26 Mar 2018) 9:00 am AEST
Week 6 Monday (16 Apr 2018)
Total possible of 10 points.
Introduction and literature review (2 points)
- 0 Introduction not present or was not relevant to the journal article.
- 1 Introduction present, literature summarised, only loosely applied to the journal article.
- 1.5 Introduction present, literature summarised, Related clearly and effectively to the journal article
- 2 Introduction and literature concisely summarised, Related clearly and effectively to the journal article using original language and interpretation
Method (2 points)
- 0 Discussion on methodology not present or was not relevant to the journal article.
- 1 Methodology discussed but only loosely applied to the journal article.
- 1.5 Methodology discussed. Related clearly and effectively to the journal article
- 2 Methodology discussed. Related clearly and effectively to the journal article using original language and interpretation
Results / discussion (4 points)
- 0 Results / discussion not present or were not relevant to the journal article.
- 2 Results and discussion have been loosely summarised and relate to the journal article
- 3 Results and discussion are summarised and relate well to the journal article
- 4 Results and discussion are clearly and effectively summarised Related clearly and effectively to the journal article using original language and interpretation
APA formating (2 points)
- 0 APA formatting not present
- 1 Attempt made with APA formatting but contained many errors
- 1.5 APA formatting contained few errors
- 2 Exceptional formatting with very few errors
- have a good, general, knowledge of the major principles and theories of the Biological Foundations of Psychology
- have a knowledge of the application of these principles to both human and non-human behaviour
- have developed writing, research and statistical skills
- Communication
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
2 Written Assessment
Assessment 2 - Short essay: Nature or nurture as a determinant for intelligence.
Assessment 2 - Introduction
- Intelligence is commonly defined as "... the ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills."
- Historically there have been two perspectives on what contributes to intelligence.
- The first is often referred to as nature: the organism's inherited genetic code which provides an innate advantage or disadvantage over other organisms.
- The second perspective is nurture: the environment in which the organism finds itself including social setting and available learning opportunities.
- It is currently accepted that these two factors interact and both contribute to intelligence.
- However, your task is to use current research and argue that one is more important than the other.
Assessment 2 - Instructions:
- Write a brief essay which takes a stand on whether intelligence is determined primarily by nature or nurture.
- Search the CQU library database or Google Scholar for the terms “nature, nurture” and “intelligence”
- To widen the search, you may want to include terms such as: hereditary, environment, twin studies, etc.
- Select and download the full-text version of the articles which both support your stance.
- The essay to be approximately 750 words. This does not include your references.
- Include a title page.
- Use appropriate APA style. Use appropriate APA in-text referencing.
- Include a references list for the two articles in APA formatting.
- An abstract is not required.
- Submit the assessment via the Moodle as a Word doc or docx file with your last name and initial i.e: crawfordc.doc
- It is good practice to submit the assessment a couple of days before the due date to allow Turnitin to review your work.
Week 8 Monday (30 Apr 2018) 9:00 am AEST
Week 11 Monday (21 May 2018)
Assessment 2 - Marking Criteria
Total possible of 30 points.
Introduction and literature review (4 points)
- 0 Introduction not present or was not relevant to the journal articles. Student did not take a clear stance on the topic
- 2 Introduction present, literature summarised only loosely. Student took a stance, but not well supported by the literature..
- 3 Introduction present, literature summarised well. Student took a stance which was adequately supported by the literature
- 4 Introduction and literature concisely and effectively summarised. Student took a clear stance which was very well supported by the literature using original language and interpretation 4 marks
Utilisation of journal article one (8 points)
- 0 The journal article did not relate to the topic, was not summarised effectively or correctly. Summary was not linked to the stance taken by the student.
- 4 The journal loosely related to the topic and was summarised, but missed key points. The summary was only loosely linked to the stance taken by the student.
- 6 The journal article related to the topic, was summarised correctly. The summary covered most key points. The summary was linked well to the stance taken by the student
- 8 The journal related clearly to the topic and was effectively summarised. The summary was effectively covering all key points. The summary was creatively linked to the stance taken by the student using original language and interpretation..
Utilisation of journal article two (8 points)
- 0 The journal article did not relate to the topic, was not summarised effectively or correctly. Summary was not linked to the stance taken by the student.
- 4 The journal loosely related to the topic and was summarised, but missed key points. The summary was only loosely linked to the stance taken by the student.
- 6 The journal article related to the topic, was summarised correctly. The summary covered most key points. The summary was linked well to the stance taken by the student
- 8 The journal related clearly to the topic and was effectively summarised. The summary was effectively covering all key points. The summary was creatively linked to the stance taken by the student using original language and interpretation..
Conclusion (5 points)
- 0 Conclusion not present or not related to the stance taken by the student and / or not supported by the journal articles.
- 2.5 Conclusion related loosely to the stance taken by the student. Not well supported by the journal articles
- 4 Conclusion related well to the stance taken by the student and is supported by the journal articles.
- 5 Conclusion related clearly and effectively to the stance taken by the student, very well supported by the journal articles and uses original language and interpretation.
APA formatting (5 points)
- 0 APA formatting not present
- 2.5 Attempt made with APA formatting but contained many errors
- 4 APA formatting contained few errors
- 5 Exceptional formatting with very few errors
No submission method provided.
- have a good, general, knowledge of the major principles and theories of the Biological Foundations of Psychology
- have a knowledge of the application of these principles to both human and non-human behaviour
- have developed writing, research and statistical skills
- Communication
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
3 Online Quiz(zes)
There are two online quizzes.
- Both quizzes are completed via the Moodle site.
- Quiz 1 opens on Thursday 19th April at 1200 and will close on Friday 20th April at 2345
- Quiz 1 will cover content from weeks 1-5.
- Quiz 2 opens on Thursday 31st May at 1200 and will close on Friday 1st June at 2345
- Quiz 2 will cover content from weeks 7-11.
Once you start the quiz, you have 60 minutes to complete all the questions.
- There are 60 questions in each quiz.
- It is usually best to skip questions you do not know and come back to them if you have time.
- At the end of 60 minutes the quiz will close and the system will submit all answered questions for grading.
2
Other
There are two quizzes
- Each quiz is worth 30% of the final grade.
- Each quiz has 60 questions
- Students will receive 0.5 marks per correct answer.
- have a good, general, knowledge of the major principles and theories of the Biological Foundations of Psychology
- have a knowledge of the application of these principles to both human and non-human behaviour
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
