Brain, Behavior and Beyond: The Science of the Mind provides a comprehensive yet accessible introduction to the fundamentals of neuroscience, written specifically with non-majors in mind. This text guides students through neuroanatomy and neural systems, as well as major concepts in behavioral, cognitive, and social neuroscience, incorporating contemporary findings from both human and animal research. Key features of the text include:
Integrated Digital Content: Links to videos, articles, and “try it!” demonstrations are embedded directly in the text, seamlessly connecting class content with the wider scientific world. Quizzes at the end of sections and chapters promote immediate recall practice, which has been shown to increase long-term learning.
Focus on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: This text was written with the diversity of modern students in mind. Chapters include nuanced, scientifically-grounded discussion of race and gender, including the current neural understanding of biological sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation; implicit bias, discrimination and prejudice; and historical and current biases in psychology and neuroscience, including the racist application of phrenology and eugenic roots of intelligence testing.
Science in Everyday Life: Each chapter features sections demonstrating the application of that chapter’s scientific content to real-world situations. Students will discover the neuroscience behind everyday behaviors, experiences and common illusions and errors, while other sections explore familiar and rare brain conditions and disorders. These sections are designed to give scientists and non-scientists alike a deeper appreciation for the brain’s role in all aspects of life.
Dr. Jared Wong received his Ph.D. from the Psychology Department at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in the Spring of 2013, where he has been teaching since. His focus is on behavioral neuroscience, and his teaching interests include functional & comparative neuroanatomy, animal cognition and behavior, sensory neuroscience, evolutionary psychology, and the psychobiology of sexual behavior. His true passion lies in making scientific topics accessible to an audience that may be intimidated by scientific concepts, and strongly believes that everyone regardless of educational background should have the ability to think critically about scientific claims – a crucial skill in the modern age of social media and “fake news” outlets. In recognition of his dedication to students, he was the recipient of the 2020-2021 UCLA Department of Psychology’s Distinguished Teaching Award, and he continues to strive for excellence in pedagogy.
Dr. Halladay earned her PhD in Behavioral Neuroscience from UCLA in 2013. After completing a four-year Postdoctoral Fellowship at the National Institutes of Health, she started her research lab at Santa Clara University, in the South Bay Area of California, where she researches the intersection between reward and aversion in the brain. As a professor in the Psychology Department and Neuroscience Program at SCU, Dr. Halladay teaches courses that span introductory to advanced Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience.
Dr. Barkley-Levenson earned her PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience from UCLA in 2013, and served as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Southern California before joining the faculty of Hofstra University in 2015. At Hofstra, Dr. Barkley-Levenson is currently an associate professor in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, and she heads the Developmental Decision Neuroscience Lab focusing on behavioral and neural approaches to understanding risky decision-making behavior in adolescents and young adults. Her teaching interests include introductory psychology and behavioral neuroscience, and she loves providing students with the opportunity to explore the brain firsthand through hands-on lab courses in neuroscience research techniques and neurobiology.
Dr. Crump earned her Ph.D. in psychology, emphasizing cognitive neuroscience, from UCLA in 2012. While at UCLA, she served as a teaching assistant and instructor for undergraduate courses in Sensation & Perception, Behavioral Neuroscience, and Introductory Psychology in the Psychology department, and for Research Methods in both the Psychology and the Communications Studies departments. She completed postdoctoral training at UCLA before becoming a Human Factors scientist at the scientific consulting firm Exponent, Inc. At Exponent, Dr. Crump’s work aimed to explain human errors in perception, decision-making, and movement in complex, real-world situations such as pedestrian injuries, auto accidents, and consumer product use. Her role was to educate decision-makers – including corporations, government agencies, juries, and judges – about the science of human behavior in these contexts. Most recently, she has transitioned to work with a startup that trains perceptual and decision-making expertise for professionals who must perform under extreme stress.
CHAPTER 1 Introduction
CHAPTER 2 Anatomy of the Nervous System
CHAPTER 3 Neurophysiology
CHAPTER 4 Seeing
CHAPTER 5 Nonvisual Senses
CHAPTER 6 Neurodevelopment
CHAPTER 7 Hormones, Genes, and Sex
CHAPTER 8 Sleep and Dreaming
CHAPTER 9 Learning
CHAPTER 10 Memory
CHAPTER 11 Emotions and Stress
CHAPTER 12 Thinking and Reasoning
CHAPTER 13 Social Neuroscience