GENES AND BEHAVIOR

(BEHAVIORAL GENETICS)
Psychology 410

COURSE SYLLABUS
Professor: Jacob L. Driesen, Ph.D.
Office: 317W CH - 503- 725-3972 (PSU)
Office Hours: 8:45-9:45 am TuTh; 2-2:30 pm TuTh (all by appointment; but you may
drop-in if there is no scheduled appointment)
Class Time and Location: 12-1:50 pm TuTh – 371W CH
Midterm: November 17 - Take Home
Final Examinations: December 3 - Take Home
E-Mail Address: professor@driesen.com
Lecture Notes: These are available on Blackboard
Required Texts:
Ψ Required: Plomin, et al, (2008 - 5th Edition). Behavioral Genetics, Worth.

Disability Statement: If you are a student with a documented disability and are
registered with the Disability Resource Center, please see or contact Dr. Driesen
immediately to facilitate arranging academic accommodations. If you are not yet
registered, please do so as soon as possible.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

It has been over thirty years since the first textbook of psychiatric genetics was published.
Much has changed dramatically in the intervening years with the advent of molecular
genetics and the rapid progress in human genome knowledge.

There have also been profound advances in statistical and computational methods that
have instructed our understanding of the genetic and environmental causes of behavior
and abnormal behavior.

The course begins with the basic principles of molecular and quantitative genetics for
students without much expertise in these areas, such as those in psychology and the social
sciences. Additionally, the required CD-ROM (see above) will allow you to learn this
material at your own rate, and the depth of knowledge you wish to understand.
After attaining an understanding of the principles of molecular genetics, the lectures will
move on to a number of behaviors and mental disorders, and the proposed genetic

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underpinnings for each. This will take up most of the course, and will provide
information not available in the usual psychopathology courses.

This approach is designed to help you understand the role of genetics in both human
behavior and, more generally, in the nature vs. nurture arguments of the day.

STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Ψ Completion of this course will result in a basic understanding of the role of

genetics in both normal and abnormal behavior.
Ψ Students will understand the role of nervous system function as it relates to
behavior and, especially, abnormal behavior.
Ψ Students will be able to relate knowledge learned in this course to psychological,
psychiatric, and neurological disorders (e.g., dementia, depression, personality
disorders, etc.).
Ψ Students will leave this course with a better understanding of the organ of
behavior, the brain. Students will know why genetic knowledge is important in
understanding the normal and abnormal behavior of individuals.

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GRADING

Students will be graded on a midterm examination and a final examination. The midterm
examination will be worth 40% of the final grade. The final will be worth 60%. Finally,
attendance to Thursday’s discussion will adjust the final grade at Dr. Driesen’s discretion
(this means a B+ might become an A- if attendance is good). Extra-credit assignments are
available for students who feel the need to elevate their grades. All exams are take-home,
and consequently Dr. Driesen expects a high degree of accuracy and completeness.

Grades are assessed on the following standards:

A >92%
A- 90-92%
B+ 87-89%
B 83-86%
B- 80-82%
C+ 77-79%
C 73-76%
C- 70-72%
D+ 67-69%
D 63-66%
D- 60-62%
F <60%

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COURSE CONTENT and SCHEDULE* (The assigned text chapters and schedule are
subject to revision during the term as necessary.)

Lectures during the term will include:

Ψ Basic principles of brain functioning and systems neuroscience
Ψ Introduction to evolution (Chapter 17)
Ψ Molecular biology and genetics (Chapters 2, 3, and 4)
Ψ The genetics of normal and abnormal development and of behavior will include,
but are not limited to:
Ψ Personality (Chapter 13)
Ψ Personality disorders (Chapter 13)
Midterm exam will cover through chapter 13
Ψ Psychopharmacogenetics and Psychopathology (Chapters 11, 12, 13)
Ψ The future and post-genomic psychology and psychiatry (Chapter 18)
Ψ Nature versus nurture (Chapters 5 and 12)
Ψ Cognition (Chapters 7, 8, and 9)