Neurobiology and Psychology of Emotion and Motivation

Catalog description

This course explores the basic dimensions involved in the understanding of emotional processes: neurobiological, cognitive/psychological, and social. It begins with an analysis of the neural structures that underlie and subserve emotional processes. Once this information is mastered, the student is exposed to the main psychological theories that explain the interaction between appraisal of external situations and the biological (emotional) reactions to the nervous system to such evaluations. The classical as well as the contemporary theories of emotion will be explored. The course also explores the neurobiology of motivation and the behavioral manifestations of motivated behavior. The main psychological theories of motivation are explored within a historical perspective. The course will also address the clinical application of the research and theories discussed.