ECTS credits ECTS credits: 6
ECTS Hours Rules/Memories Student's work ECTS: 99 Hours of tutorials: 3 Expository Class: 24 Interactive Classroom: 24 Total: 150
Use languages Spanish, Galician
Type: Ordinary Degree Subject RD 1393/2007 - 822/2021
Departments: Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, Social, Basic and Methodological Psychology
Areas: Psychobiology, Basic Psychology
Center Faculty of Psychology
Call: First Semester
Teaching: With teaching
Enrolment: Enrollable | 1st year (Yes)
- To acquire an adequate Knowledge on the Concepts and Phenomena referred to Motivation, Emotion and Conditioning, considering at the same Time its Psychobiological Bases.
- To know the Scientific Contexts where are formulated and are solved Problems related to the Processes of Motivation, Emotion and Conditioning. So, the Psychobiological Aspects involved.
The course includes three sections:
“Motivation and Emotion”: Expositive Sessions 1 to 10, and Interactive Sessions (small group) 1 to 6.
"Conditioning": Expositive Sessions 11 to 14, and Interactive Sessions (small group) 7 to 15.
"Psychobiological Bases" Expositive Sessions 15 to 19, and Interactive Sessions (small group) 16 to 18
Expositive Sessions:
- Concept of Motivation. Concept of Emotion. Traditional Theoretical Perspectives. The Contemporary Evolutionary Approach: a View integrated of Motivation and Emotion. George c. Williams Adaptation Concept. The four Questions of Niko Tinbergen. Analysis Levels. Research Strategies.
- Epigenetic Theory and Behaviour. Motivational Systems: the Approach of the Behaviour Systems. Paul Ekman and the Evolutionary Classification of Emotions. Cultural Variability and Phenotypic Plasticity.
- Food Behaviour System. Specific Appetites like Adaptations. Acquired Specific Appetites. Acquired Aversions. Disgust.
- Defensive Behaviour System and Fear. Specific Fears like Adaptations. Acquired Specific Fears. Defensive Reactions. Parental Inversion Theory of Robert L. Trivers and Sexual Differences in Temerosity.
- Sexual Behaviour System. Parental Inversion Theory and Sexual Differences in the Strategies of Pairing. Female Pairing Strategies. Masculine Pairing Strategies. Variations along the Menstrual Bleeding Pattern in the Female Preferences.
- Parental Behaviour System. Linking of the Child with the Mother. Maternal Devotion to the Child. Paternal Devotion to the Sons. Conflicts Parents-Sons.
- Cooperation Evolution and Altruism. Altruism like Evolutionary Paradox. William D. Hamilton and the Total Reproductive Efficacy (“Inclusive Fitness”). Robert L. Trivers and the Reciprocal Altruism. David S. Wilson and the Multi-level Selection: the Groups like Selection Unities.
- The Aggression like Solution to some Adaptative Problems. Parental Inversion Theory and Sexual Differences in Aggressivity. Domination and Status.
- Motivational Pyramid. Motivational Conflicts. Approximation-Avoidance. Adjournment of Satisfaction. Defence Mechanisms. Cognitive Dissonance.
- Emotional Expression. Facial Expression. Voice. Laughing. Crying. Corporal Positions. Social Emotions.
- Learning Characterization. Learning like Psychological Process. The Study of Learning. Learning Definition. Animal Experimentation.
- Provoked Behaviour and its Modification: Habituation and Sensitization. Modifications of Reflex Reactions. Habituation and Sensitization: Characteristics. Changes in the Complex Reactions: Theory of the Opponent Process.
- Learning of Relations between Events: Classic Conditioning. Basic Phenomena: Acquisition and Extinction. Relations between Events: Temporal and Predictive. Conditioning in Function of the Characteristics of the Events: Motivational Meaning. Conditioning with Complex Events: Lock, Shadowing, Conditional Relations. Results and Mechanisms in the Classic Conditioning: What is learnt? How is learnt?
- Learning of Relations between the Behaviour and the Consequences: Instrumental Conditioning. Types of Instrumental Conditioning. Fundamental Elements: Response, Reinforcer. Programmes of Simple Reinforcement. Behavioural Repercussions. The Choice Behaviour. Instrumental Conditioning with aversive Events.
- Biological Bases of the Intrinsic Regulation Processes. Homoeostatic Regulation Processes. Hungry, Thirsty, Temperature. Sexual Behaviour. Parental Behaviour.
- Neural Bases of Emotion. The Limbic System: the Role of the Amygdale. Cerebral Cortex and Emotions.
- Physiological and Neuro-chemical Bases of Habituation and Sensitization.
- Physiological and Neuro-chemical Bases of Classic Conditioning: Synaptic Plasticity, Long-term Potentialization.
- Physiological Systems of Reward.
Interactive Sessions:
- Valence and activation of emotions: cognitive, behavioral and physiological components of emotions.
- The problem of basic emotions.
- Communicative function of the emotional expression.
- Perception of the emotional expression.
- Motivational systems.
- Drive, incentive and homeostasis.
- Management of simulation program.
- Acquisition and Extinction of Behaviour.
- Inhibitory Conditioning.
- Conditioning with Compound Stimuli: Overshadowing, blocking.
- Conditioning with Neutral Motivationally Stimuli: sensory preconditioning.
- Training with the feeder.
- Shaping response.
- Training with the Feeding Table.
- Moulding of the Response.
- Partial Reinforcement.
- Motivation: maternal behaviour.
- Emotion: behavioral expressions of fear in/anxiety in animal models. Elevated plus-maze.
- Spatial learning and hippocampus. Animals models: Morris water maze
DriBasic Bibliography:
(Copies available in the faculty library)
- Aguado, L. (2005). Emoción, afecto y motivación. Madrid: Alianza.
- Alloway, T., Wilson, G. y Graham, J. (2006). Sniffy. La Rata Virtual. Madrid: Thomson.
- Carlson, N.R. (2018). Fisiología de la conducta (12ª Ed.). Madrid: Pearson – Addison Wesley.
- Domjan, M. (2010). Principios de aprendizaje y conducta, 6ª ed. Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
Complementary Bibliography:
Aguado, L. (1983). Lecturas sobre aprendizaje animal. Madrid: Debate.
Alcaraz, M., Redondo, J., Fraga, I. e Fernández-Rey, J. (2003). Procesos psicológicos básicos I. Madrid: Pirámide.
Alcock, J. (2005). Animal behavior: An evolutionary approach. Sunderland, MA: Sinauer Associates.
Alexander, R. (1989). Darwinismo y asuntos humanos. Barcelona: Salvat.
Barkow, J., Comides, L., & Tooby, J. (Eds.). (1992). The adapted mind: Evolutionary psychology and the generation of culture. New York: Oxford University Press.
Bear, M.F., Connors, B. & Paradiso, M. (2016). Neurociencia. La exploración del cerebro (4ª Ed.). Wolters Kluwer, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. (Original in english: 2015).
Boakes, R.A. (1989). Historia de la psicología animal. De Darwin al conductismo. Madrid: Alianza.
Bowlby, J. (1998). El apego. Barcelona: Paidós.
Buss, D. M. (2004). La evolución del deseo. Madrid: Alianza Editorial.
Buss, D. M. (2008). Evolutionary psychology: The new science of the mind. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Carretié Arangüena, L. (2021). Anatomía de la mente: Emoción, Cognición y Cerebro. (3ª Ed.). Madrid: Pirámide.
Dawkins, R. (1979). El gen egoísta. Barcelona: Salvat.
DeCatanzaro, D. A. (2001). Motivación y emoción. México: Pearson.
Eibl-Eibesfeldt, I. (1993). Biología del comportamiento: Manual de etología humana. Madrid: Alianza Editorial.
Fridlund, A. J. (1999). Expresión facial humana: Una visión evolucionista. Bilbao: DDB.
Froufe, M. (2004). Aprendizaje asociativo. Principios y aplicaciones. Madrid: Thomson
Gaulin, S. J. C., & McBurney, D. H. (2004). Evolutionary psychology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Gray, J. (1993). La psicología del miedo y el estrés. Barcelona: Labor.
Marks, I. M. (1990). Miedos, fobias y rituales. Barcelona: Martínez Roca.
Pinker, S. (2007). Cómo funciona la mente. Barcelona: Destino.
Redolar Ripoll, D. (2014). Neurociencia cognitiva. Madrid: Editorial Médica Panamericana.
Sober, E., & Wilson, D. S. (2000). El comportamiento altruista: Evolución y psicología. Madrid: Siglo XXI
Competences of the Certification:
- To know the contributions and limitations of the diverse theoretical models for Psychology.
- To know the basic laws of psychological processes.
- To know the biological basis of human behavior and psychological functions.
- To be able to select and apply adequate and specific psychological intervention procedures and instruments.
- To elaborate psychological reports addressed to professionals and other recipients in the different professional fields.
-Specific Competences of the Subject:
- To know the Explanatory Basic Mechanisms of Motivation, Emotion and Conditioning so their Anatomy-Physiological Bases.
- To describe the more important Variables relation with the Motivational, Emotional and Conditioning Processes.
- To analyze their Influence on other Psychological Processes and to relation them with other Subjects and Psychological Disciplines.
- To initiate in the Application of the Basic Principles to Daily Situations.
The Class Sessions devoted to the Expositive Classes have like object the Introduction and Explanation of the Basic Aspects of the Themes that appear in the Programme giving them the Additional Necessary Information that allow an adequate Development of the Autonomous Learning Process. These will develop through the Teacher Expositions.
As much the Practices as the Seminars will develop in Reduced Groups. The Practices are guided so that the Students familiarize with the Simulation of Different Experimental Situations and the Analysis of the Psychological Processes in Different Situations, with the Objective to get a better Understanding of the Basic Contents. The Seminar Sessions are characterized for the Presentation of Problems that the Students must analyze and solve working in reduced Groups, contributing to the Cooperation and the Work in Group.
The Works and Individual and/or Group Reports programmed along the Four Month Period contribute to the Acquisition of Skills to elaborate and to present of Oral and/or Written Way the Information obtained. For its Design, Control and Assessment is programmed the Tutorials System in Small Groups.
The Subject Assessment carries out following a Process of Continuum Assessment in which are taken into account all the Activities that must be realized along the Four Month Period, considering Aspects like the Clarity and the Expositive Capacity, the Domain of the Terminology of the Subject or the Active Participation in the programmed Activities with a Weight in the Final Assessment of a 30%. The Knowledge Assessment acquired, with a Weight in the Final Assessment of a 70%, it will realize though a Final Exam. Several exams (Activities of Formative Assessment) may take place through the term, each of them contributing to the final grade. To pass, the student´s grade must account for the 50% of the maximun potential score.
Class attendance is mandatory, and it will be ckecked.
The former criteria will apply to both the course as a whole, and each section.
Regarding “Motivation and Emotion” section, learning about lectures contents will be assessed through some essay questions. For small group sessions, attendance and participation will be assessed.
“Conditioning" section will be assessed, on the one hand, through a multiple-choice test addressing lecture contents. On the other hand, for small group sessions, attendance and required papers grades will be computed.
“Psychobiological Bases" section will be assessed, on the one hand, through a multiple-choice test addressing lecture contents. On the other hand, for small group sessions, attendance and required papers grades will be computed.
Students who have been granted a "class attendance exemption" must, at the beginning of the course, contact the teachers responsible for the interactive sessions (prof. Francisco Esmorís and prof. Paula Pazo) so that they can indicate the alternative activities that must be carried out.
The Total Time estimated of Student Personal Work is of 90 Hours, distributed in the next way:
- 28 Hours of Dedication to Readings and Preparation to Themes.
- 38 Hours of Dedication to the Elaboration of Reports and Realization of Works.
- 24 Hours of Dedication to the Preparation of Assessments.
- The Attendance to the programmed Activities is Compulsory. It is considered of importance to continue the Evolution of the Subject.
- It is very important to distribute the Work Hours along the Course.
- To understand the Subject and to solve the Doubts according to they appear.
Tutoring hours:
Prof. Miguel Alcaraz García:
First semester: Monday from 4:30 to 8:00 p.m., wesnesday from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Second semester: Monday wednesday and friday from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.Tuesday an thursday from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m.
Prof. Francisco Esmorís Arranz: Tuesday, wednesday and thursday from 11:30 to 12:00 a.m. and from 3:00 to 3:30 p.m. and thursday from 4 to 6 p.m.
Prof. Paula Pazo Álvarez: Tuesday from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. and Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Francisco Jose Esmoris Arranz
- Department
- Social, Basic and Methodological Psychology
- Area
- Basic Psychology
- Phone
- 881813709
- fcojose.esmoris [at] usc.es
- Category
- Professor: University Lecturer
Miguel Angel Alcaraz Garcia
Coordinador/a- Department
- Social, Basic and Methodological Psychology
- Area
- Basic Psychology
- Phone
- 881813711
- miguelangel.alcaraz [at] usc.es
- Category
- Professor: University Lecturer
Paula Pazo Álvarez
- Department
- Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology
- Area
- Psychobiology
- Phone
- 881813682
- paula.pazo [at] usc.es
- Category
- Professor: University Lecturer
| Tuesday | |||
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| 09:00-10:15 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Spanish | Classroom 1 |
| 10:15-11:30 | Grupo /CLE_02 | Spanish | Classroom 2 |
| Wednesday | |||
| 09:00-10:15 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Spanish | Classroom 1 |
| 10:15-11:30 | Grupo /CLE_02 | Spanish | Classroom 2 |
| 01.08.2025 09:30-12:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom 3 |
| 01.08.2025 09:30-12:00 | Grupo /CLE_02 | Classroom 3 |
| 01.08.2025 09:30-12:00 | Grupo de examen | Classroom 3 |
| 01.08.2025 09:30-12:00 | Grupo de examen | Classroom 5 |
| 01.08.2025 09:30-12:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom 5 |
| 01.08.2025 09:30-12:00 | Grupo /CLE_02 | Classroom 5 |
| 01.08.2025 09:30-12:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom 6 |
| 01.08.2025 09:30-12:00 | Grupo /CLE_02 | Classroom 6 |
| 01.08.2025 09:30-12:00 | Grupo de examen | Classroom 6 |
| 01.08.2025 09:30-12:00 | Grupo de examen | Classroom 7 |
| 01.08.2025 09:30-12:00 | Grupo /CLE_02 | Classroom 7 |
| 01.08.2025 09:30-12:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom 7 |
| 06.18.2025 09:30-12:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom 3 |
| 06.18.2025 09:30-12:00 | Grupo /CLE_02 | Classroom 3 |
| 06.18.2025 09:30-12:00 | Grupo de examen | Classroom 3 |
| 06.18.2025 09:30-12:00 | Grupo de examen | Classroom 6 |
| 06.18.2025 09:30-12:00 | Grupo /CLE_02 | Classroom 6 |
| 06.18.2025 09:30-12:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom 6 |
| 06.18.2025 09:30-12:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom 7 |
| 06.18.2025 09:30-12:00 | Grupo /CLE_02 | Classroom 7 |
| 06.18.2025 09:30-12:00 | Grupo de examen | Classroom 7 |