Aims: This module will provide an overview of behavioural genetics in psychology. Objectives: Students will develop a basic understanding of behavioural genetics methods and will learn to interpret research findings in this area. Students will learn to appreciate how genetically informative study designs can improve our understanding of both genetic and environmental contributions to individual differences in behaviour. Summary of module: This module will provide a good overall understanding of the contribution of behavioural genetics research to the understanding of psychopathology and cognitive development. Various methods used in behavioural genetics research will be overviewed. Particular emphasis is given to how genetically informative study designs can be used to understand the way in which both genetic and environmental risk operates. The module will also cover the ethical implications of behavioural genetic research.

One of the big challenges in psychology is to understand how relatively &quot;dumb&quot; elements like neurons can co-operate to produce high-level mental...

One of the big challenges in psychology is to understand how relatively "dumb" elements like neurons can co-operate to produce high-level mental operations like thinking and consciousness. The aim of this module is to introduce you to the study of the neurobiology of behaviour.  It consists of five parts. Part 1: “Historical Perspectives, Neurons, Neuroanatomy and Methods” introduces foundational ideas that are built on in subsequent lectures. Part 2: “Sensory and Motor Systems” introduces core ideas and experiments in the study of sensation and action. For example, describing the visual and other sensory processing streams and how the motor system works, including the operation of ‘mirror neurons’ that respond during observation of a movement and making the movement. Part 3: “Emotion, Stress and Social Behaviour” covers these topics at the large-scale population level to specific neural circuits. Part 4: “Learning and Memory” explore research examining how we and other animals remember the past and learn new information. Part 5: "Disorders and the Prefrontal Cortex" covers research on neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and mental health disorders such as schizophrenia and post-traumatic stress disorder, and concludes with the role of the prefrontal cortex in controlling behaviour. By the end of the module you will, hopefully, have gained insight into how low-level processes can constrain theories about how the high-level processes operate.