When finishing this course successfully, you will have gained fundamental insights into the emotional processes that play a role in the onset and maintenance of psychopathology. Critical is that the emotional processes cut across traditional diagnostic boundaries, that is to say, you will learn to adopt a transdiagnostic approach. In accordance with the principles of the scientist practitioner model, you will:
- Discuss, compare and evaluate transdiagnostic vs. classical approaches for studying affective processes in psychopathology (EK 1,3).
- Describe how key affective processes arise from a fundamental biological and psychological level and discuss the appropriate methods to study them (EK 1, 3).
- Gain insight into the link between key affective processes and psychopathology, and critically discuss associated innovative treatments to manipulate and improve affective processes such as CBM and brain stimulation (EK 1,3).
- Synthesize and critically discuss relevant papers in an affective science field of your own main interest, both with respect to relevant theoretical issues and in terms of methodology (EK 5).
- Become aware of the skills and competencies required to work as an academic scholar in the field of Behavioural Science and of some of the dilemmas encountered there (FQ 3, 5, 6).
- Be able to evaluate whether you want to proceed in the research master Behavioural Science (FQ 6).
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Affective science is the scientific study of emotion or affect. In this course, lecturers from the department of experimental psychopathology and the DCC(N) will present affective science theory and methods. We will discuss basic findings and new insights into the nature of emotionally driven behaviour, attention, memory, and regulation, as well as the underlying physiology and neuroscience of emotions, based on studies in clinical, developing and healthy adult populations.
The course topics include: emotional learning and memory, emotional modulation of attention, defensive stress reactions (freeze, flight and fight), modulation of emotional states, emotional decision making, cognitive bias modification, and the neuroendocrine control of social emotional behavior. These topics will be discussed in relation to psychopathologies such as social anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, ADHD and aggressive disorders.
Research methods that will be discussed include multiple neuroscience techniques (fMRI, EEG) in combination with sophisticated behavioural paradigms (fear conditioning, instrumental learning, approach/avoidance, freeze, eye gaze). In addition, we will discuss several cognitive (CBM, episodic future thinking training), pharmacological (testosterone, cortisol, propanolol) and neural (TMS/tDCS) interventions for manipulating and improving biased processing and behaviour.
The course builds on the B3 course Applied Research Methods: Development & Mental Health (PSB3DH45) and the elective B2 Speciality course Emotion (PSB2SP05). The course can however be followed without having taken this latter course.
Examination
• Final written exam consisting of open ended questions and multiple choice
• Essay about your ‘favorite’ affective process and it’s link to mental disease. |
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At least two years of prior study in the field of psychology.
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In the course, students will write an abstract individually about a topic within the field of affective science and psychopathology they are interested in. The full abstract will be with a group of students who can together decide on their final topic. The essay abstract and full essay each count for 25% of the final grade. The final exam will consist of essay style questions and will count for the remaining 50%
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A registration cap will apply for this course. Make sure to register at your earliest convenience. In case of too many enrollments Psychology students have priority over students from other faculties or universities. After the 1st lecture it is no longer possible to register. Students from both the Development & Mental health and Brain & Cognition domains can take this as an elective course. Weblecture recordings may be provided, but the course assumes that students always attend the lectures each week and can not guarantuee that weblectures will always be available.
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