College students in two sections of a general psychology course participated in a demonstration of a simple neural circuit. The activity was based on a neural circuit that Jeffress proposed for localizing sounds. Students in one section responded to a questionnaire prior to participating in the activity, while students in the other section…

Most psychology curricula require the completion of coursework on the physiological bases of behavior. However, delivery of this critical content in a laboratory format is somewhat rare at the undergraduate level. To fill this gap, this article describes the design and implementation of an undergraduate laboratory course in psychophysiology at a…

The authors present the experience of a continuous assessment procedure carried out in the second term of a physiological psychology course during 3 consecutive academic years at a Spanish university. Each year, the academic outcomes of students under continuous assessment (the experimental group) were compared with those of students under…

Describes an apparatus used in courses for medical students which demonstrates psychophysiological phenomena by showing changes in skin resistance or conductance. (RM)

Failure is frequently the end point of laboratory exercises in physiological psychology that involve stereotaxic surgery by inexperienced students. Lab instructors should caution students to pursue the potential location of misplaced brain lesions using a variety of simple behavioral tests and the Thompson stereotaxic atlas. (Author/RM)

Describes a one semester-hour self-paced laboratory section accompanying a physiological psychology course. Points out five disadvantages and three advantages, including more time and advance planning needed, active involvement of students, and increased learning and retention. (CK)

Instructions concerning how to teach neuron anatomy and physiology via a one-half hour dramatic presentation involving 30 student volunteers are provided. Data are provided to support the demonstration's value as both a pragmatic aid to comprehension and as an entertaining educational technique. (RM)

Present research into the psychophysical process affecting illness and health is providing an awareness that a person cannot be treated piecemeal. Described is an experiential course in holistic health that was favorably received by students and had a significant impact on them. (RM)

Described is an exercise involving the measurement of temperature in a peripheral tissue, brown adipose, that is readily accessible in the laboratory rat. (RM)

The continuing erosion of financial support for undergraduate laboratories makes cost an increasingly important factor in the choice of undergraduate animal experiments. Projects employing insect predation by rodents, which require minimal equipment and pose a number of interesting questions about animal behavior, are described. (RM)

A classroom game, based on a trivia-type game format, to help students prepare for the cumulative final exam in a physiological psychology course is presented. Details of game construction and play are described. (Author)

Maintains that, although the relation of the mind to the brain is a common topic in teaching psychology; psychogeny, the study of the mind's origin, is a neglected problem. Outlines and discusses two theories: (1) identify theory; and (2) emergentism. Presents student reactions to psychogeny. (CFR)

Identifies the "missing fundamental illusion" as that which occurs when two tones are heard together and the listener hears a third tone with a pitch corresponding to the difference in their frequencies. Describes an inexpensive and valid demonstration of the missing fundamental using a British police whistle. (MJP)

Reports on a laboratory experiment where students measured their heart rate, blood pressure, mood, alertness, and cognitive performance. Measures showed significant circadian heart rhythm variations. They were strongly correlated and peaked at different times. Discusses the implications of this and students' reactions to the experiment. (MJP)

Describes a demonstration that recreates the central features of taste aversion (learning to avoid distinctively flavored food or drink paired with gastrointestinal illness) research. Rats are allowed to drink a saccharine flavored solution and then are given an injection of sodium chloride. They associate the unpleasant effects with the solution.…