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Module

PSY3042 : Sex Differences and the Brain

  • Offered for Year: 2020/21
  • Module Leader(s): Dr Gareth Richards
  • Owning School: Psychology
  • Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Semester 2 Credit Value: 10
ECTS Credits: 5.0

Aims

The module will aim to provide an overview of research related to the causes of sexually differentiated human behaviours, and to introduce and discuss the strengths, weakness, and ethical considerations associated with methods used in the field. The module will also aim to explore the usefulness of studying sex differences for our understanding of a range of clinical conditions.

Outline Of Syllabus

Sex Differences and the Brain will cover biological, evolutionary, and societal processes that underlie human sex differences across a range of behaviours and clinical outcomes. A focus of the module is to explore the effects of early (i.e. prenatal and early postnatal) sex hormone exposure, and how this may relate to developmental outcomes later in life.

Example topics include:
•       Why study human sex differences?
•       Fundamental sex differences
•       Biological, societal, and evolutionary influences on human sex differences
•       Sex differences in choosiness, and short-term and long-term mating strategies
•       Organisational and activational effects of sex hormones
•       Methods for measuring the effects of early sex hormone exposure (e.g. disorders of sex development, measurement of hormones from amniotic fluid and umbilical cord blood, twin studies, digit ratio [2D:4D])
•       Prenatal androgen theory of autism spectrum conditions
•       Sex hormones, cerebral lateralisation and handedness
•       Testosterone and aggression

Teaching Methods

Module leaders are revising this content in light of the Covid 19 restrictions.
Revised and approved detail information will be available by 17 August.

Assessment Methods

Module leaders are revising this content in light of the Covid 19 restrictions.
Revised and approved detail information will be available by 17 August.

Reading Lists

Timetable