NSC 448 A DVANCED T OPICS IN N EUROSCIENCE AGGRESSION AND V IOLENCE SPRING 2007 TuTh 9:30-10:45 NSB 314 Dr. Bruce Wightman Associate Professor of Biology Office: NSB 220 Lab: NSB 221Phone x3254 EMAIL: [email protected] Hours: M 9-10, W 11:30-1, Th 12-2, F 9:30-10:15 NSC 448 is a “graduate-style seminar for the senior neuroscience major and will stress reading and discussion of primary texts and timely issues within the field.” This year’s seminar will focus on the biology and psychology of aggression and violence, as well as selected current topics chosen by members of the class. Aggressive behavior, and the violence that comes with it, is often thought of as an aberration (“going postal”). Many people think of children as being born “pure” and non-violent, with violent behavior arising as a consequence of bad parenting, bad experiences, or disadvantaged social standing. Yet biologists have found that aggression is common among animals and violence is ubiquitous in human history. The study of aggressive behavior provides an opportunity to evaluate how biologists and psychologists have attempted to understand the mechanisms of a complex behavior. To what extent is aggression “natural”? To what extent is aggressive behavior genetic? What are the anatomical, cellular and developmental foci for aggressive behavior? The problem has been studied using a variety of approaches, from social psychology to experiments with animals to ethological studies in the wild to surgical studies in humans and animals to molecular and genetic approaches. We will evaluate studies on aggression by reading primary literature using all these approaches, discussing papers in class, and writing about them. We will confront our ignorance, as well as the limitations of certain kinds of studies and certain kinds of arguments. The success of this class depends on your participation!C OURSE S CHEDULE DAY DATE TOPIC READINGASSIGNMENTTu 16-Jan Violence and aggression in society Niehoff Ch. 1Th 18-Jan History of human violenceTu 23-Jan Ethological models of aggression Niehoff Ch. 3 Group Topics Th 25-Jan TBA Paper questionTu 30-Jan Experimental behavioral studies Niehoff Ch. 3 Neuroscience Creations TopicTh 1-Feb TBA Paper questionTu 6-Feb Anatomical basis of aggression Niehoff Ch. 4Th 8-Feb TBA Paper questionTu 13-Feb Cell biology of aggression Niehoff Ch. 5Th 15-Feb TBA Paper questionTu 20-Feb Hormones and aggression Niehoff Ch. 6 Group BibliographiesTh 22-Feb TBA Paper questionTu 27-Feb Conversation with author Sue Miller TBA Essay: anatomy, circuits and aggression6:30 PM NSC 448 Night at the Movies A Clockwork OrangeTh 1-Mar TBA; Movie discussion Paper question; Neuroscience CreationsSPRING BREAK!Tu 13-Mar Genetics and aggression Niehoff Ch. 2, 8Th 15-Mar TBA Group 1 Outline; Paper questionTu 20-Mar Human genetics and aggression TBAEssay: A Clockwork OrangeTh 22-Mar TBA Paper questionTu 27-Mar Human behavior and reducing violence Niehoff Ch. 9 Group 2 OutlineTh 29-Mar EXAMTu 3-Apr STUDENT GROUP 1 Group 3 OutlineTh 5-Apr STUDENT GROUP 1 Paper questionTu 10-Apr STUDENT GROUP 2 Group 4 OutlineTh 12-Apr STUDENT GROUP 2 Paper questionTu 17-Apr STUDENT GROUP 3 Groups 5 Outline; Group 1 Review PaperTh 19-Apr STUDENT GROUP 3 Paper questionTu 24-Apr STUDENT GROUP 4 Group 2 Review PaperTh 26-Apr STUDENT GROUP 4 Paper questionTu 1-May STUDENT GROUP 5 Group 3 Review PaperTh 3-MaySTUDENT GROUP 5 Paper question8-MayGroups 4-5 Review Paper In general, we will have more conventional class “lectures” and discussion on Tuesdays and discussions that focus on papers (and other topics) on Thursdays. The precise sequencing of topics is tentative. We might spend a bit more time on a particular topic and less time on another. Each student will work as a part of a “group”—actually a pair— to present a class and lead a discussion on a topic of your choice in April or May. T EXT Niehoff, Debra, The Biology of Violence, New York: The Free Press, 1998. This book is a work of non-fiction designed for a general educated reader, not a science textbook in the traditional sense. It is generally well-written, inexpensive, and a fairly easy read. The author touches on most of the topics we will cover; however her treatment is sometimes problematic. Students of biology should watch for errors of fact and argument that reveal the author’s somewhat weaker grasp of the concepts of biology. The author lives in nearby New Hope, PA. Additional readings will be handed out or made available on Blackboard. 2A SSIGNMENTS I will assign two take-home writing projects throughout the semester. Each is due at the beginning of class on the date indicated on the course schedule. They are open-book. I will evaluate both the accuracy of your answer and the quality of your written work. In addition, every member of the class must hand in one written question relating to each of the 13 scheduled discussions (see schedule). The question must be written before coming to class and must be emailed to me before 9 AM on the day of the relevant discussion. The question should focus on unanswered questions raised by the paper, problematic arguments, or potential implications of the paper. The question should NOT focus on things you did not understand. It should be drawn from what you DID understand in the paper. REVIEW E SSAY One of the requirements for NSC 448 is the completion of Review Essay on a topic relevant to neuroscience. You will identify an area of interest in neuroscience and provide a thorough review and critique of the subject from primary sources. The area of interest will also be the area that you and your partner present to the class and lead a discussion of a primary literature article. While you and your partner will be working together on the presentation and discussion and will necessarily be writing an essay on the same topic, the written work must be entirely your own. Put another way, each student should write an essay that has a unique thesis, analysis, and discussion. Using the words of your partner constitutes plagiarism. The paper will be between 6 and 12 pages long. The written work must be analytical. Papers that simply recount what is known will be evaluated less generously. Note that the topic of the paper is due early in the semester (see schedule) and must be approved by me. More details will follow. E XAM We will have one exam, scheduled for March 29, at the