PSY3049 : Evolution of Brain and Behaviour
- Offered for Year: 2025/26
- Module Leader(s): Dr Tom Smulders
- Lecturer: Professor Melissa Bateson
- Other Staff: Dr Caroline Allen
- Owning School: Psychology
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
To develop students’ knowledge and understanding of: the principles of brain evolution, including brain development; the interaction between selective pressures on behaviour and the mechanistic changes that take place in response to these selective pressures.
Outline Of Syllabus
Basic knowledge of comparative neuroanatomy and brain development
Principles of brain evolution
Case studies of ultimate and proximate explanations for the evolution of brain and behaviour
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 22 | 1:00 | 22:00 | Interactive lectures |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 99:00 | 99:00 | Reading and writing for assessment |
| Structured Guided Learning | Lecture materials | 8 | 1:00 | 8:00 | Lecture materials |
| Guided Independent Study | Directed research and reading | 16 | 1:00 | 16:00 | Academic skills activities |
| Structured Guided Learning | Structured research and reading activities | 22 | 2:00 | 44:00 | Preparation for teaching sessions |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 11 | 1:00 | 11:00 | Preparation for the assessment |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
The lectures will be used to convey the basic knowledge about how brains are structured, how those structures develop, and how they can change over evolutionary time. Some time will also be spent on linking that information to the evolution of behaviour.
Students will then be asked to apply this knowledge to a behaviour or neurobiological mechanism of their choice, and write a coherent integrative report on how this behaviour or mechanism has evolved. In order to facilitate them doing this, they will be presented with example case studies. This will allow them to see different approaches to this integration and to improve their understanding of the concepts of how brains and behaviour evolve. It will also allow them to practice the critical evaluation of the evidence in this field.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 1 | M | 100 | Integrative literature review: ultimate and proximate explanations of the evolution of a brain-behaviour system (max 2500 words) |
Formative Assessments
Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written exercise | 1 | M | Outline essay with list of papers (500 words) |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The formative assessment requires the student to submit an outline essay with a list of papers to show that there is sufficient literature of the different types on the chosen subject to all a good literature review to be written. This allows the student to evaluate their approach to the literature review and allows the module leader to re-direct the student’s efforts to a better topic should not enough appropriate literature exist or should the topic not fit the subject of the module.
The literature review requires to student to show their understanding of the different components of the evolution of brain and behaviour, and requires them to synthesize the information into a coherent narrative.
FMS Schools offering Semester One modules available as ‘Study Abroad’ will, where required, provide an alternative assessment time for examinations that take place after the Winter vacation. Coursework with submission dates after the Winter vacation will either be submitted at an earlier date or at the same time remotely. The assessment format will not normally vary from the original to ensure learning outcomes are met. Any changes to the original format must meet module learning outcomes and be approved by the school.
The form of assessment will not vary from the original.
If the module is failed, Stage 3 students may only be offered a resit if an honours degree is not awarded on the first occasion. Failed assessments will be the same format during the August resit period.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- PSY3049's Timetable