Research Methods: Behavioral Methods in Animal Research
PSYC 215
Fall 2015
| Section:
01
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| Crosslisting:
NS&B 215 |
This is a research methods course that provides an understanding of the different approaches to animal research, particularly those using rodent models. It provides students with an understanding of the different techniques employed by researchers and the questions they address. This course provides students with HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE WITH ANIMAL RESEARCH USING RODENT MODELS. Students will also get a sense of how to design a behavioral experiment, including the use of control groups and counterbalancing. The course will follow a lecture/discussion format where students will learn about different forms of conditioning (operant/classical) and how these apply to various behavioral tasks such as autoshaping, self-administration, fear conditioning, etc. (see readings for more examples). This will be combined with regular class discussion of research articles dealing with each topic, including some of the earlier reports and more recent applications. The focus of the course will be on trying to prepare students to design and carry out behavioral/animal research in a laboratory setting. Students will get to carry out their own animal research project in the lab. Research projects will last approximately two weeks and will require a heavier time commitment during this time (including some research over the weekends). |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
NSM PSYC |
| Course Format: Lecture / Discussion | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: PSYC105 OR [NS&B213 or BIOL213 or PSYC240] |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (NS&B)(STS) |
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Past Enrollment Probability: 75% - 89% |
| SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
Readings will be based on scientific research articles, and will include some of the early or initial papers for each behavioral method (e.g. Ivan Pavlov's description of Classical Conditioning) and some recent articles showing recent uses or adaptations.
- A study of misbehavior: token reinforcement in the rat. Boakes RA et al., J Exp Anal Behav. 1978 Jan;29(1):115-34.
- Individual differences in the attribution of incentive salience to a reward-related cue: influence on cocaine sensitization. Flagel SB, Watson SJ, Akil H, Robinson TE. Behav Brain Res. 2008 Jan 10;186(1):48-56.
- Conditioned Reflexes (extract). Pavlov IP. 1927
- The behavior of organisms: an experimental analysis (extract). Skinner, B. F. Oxford, England: Appleton-Century, 1938.
- The discovery of self-stimulation and other stories. Milner PM. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 1989 Summer-Fall;13(2-3):61-7.
- Operant self-stimulation of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra. Rossi MA, Sukharnikova T, Hayrapetyan VY, Yang L, Yin HH. PLoS One. 2013 Jun 5;8(6):e65799.
- Drug reinforcement studied by the use of place conditioning in rat. Mucha RF, van der Kooy D, O'Shaughnessy M, Bucenieks P. Brain Res. 1982 Jul 8;243(1):91-105.
- Validation of open:closed arm entries in an elevated plus-maze as a measure of anxiety in the rat. Pellow S, Chopin P, File SE, Briley M. J Neurosci Methods. 1985 Aug;14(3):149-67.
- Amygdala circuitry mediating reversible and bidirectional control of anxiety.
Tye KM, et al. Nature. 2011 Mar 17;471(7338):358-62.
- Inception of a false memory by optogenetic manipulation of a hippocampal memory engram.
Liu X, Ramirez S, Tonegawa S. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2013 Dec 2;369(1633):20130142.
- Progressive ratio as a measure of reward strength. Hodos W. Science. 1961 Sep 29;134(3483):943-4.
- The speed of cocaine delivery determines the subsequent motivation to self-administer the drug. Minogianis EA, Lévesque D, Samaha AN. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2013 Dec;38(13):2644-56.
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Examinations and Assignments:
Two exams consisting of multiple choice and short answer questions, and a research project assignment requiring students to carry out an experiment as a group and write up their results individually in the form of a brief research report. Each group will also give a brief presentation of their research project to the class. |
| Instructor(s): Robinson,Mike Times: .M.W.F. 11:00AM-11:50AM; Location: JUDD113; |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 15 | | SR major: 3 | JR major: 5 | | |
| Seats Available: 0 | GRAD: X | SR non-major: 0 | JR non-major: 2 | SO: 5 | FR: 0 |
| Web Resources: Syllabus |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 0 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 0 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 0 |
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