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Course: Psychobiology
Executive control may make you think of a boss who's always looking over your shoulder. But in psychology, this term refers to an animal’s ability to control its own thoughts and actions. When you talk yourself out of eating an entire bag of cookies, that's executive control.
Some psychobiologists are interested in the way we develop this ability as young children. In addition to studying the behavior of children, they look at images of their brains during experiments. These images suggest that certain areas of the brain are especially important when it comes to controlling our emotions and thoughts.
Students in this major study the biological aspects of psychology. Courses cover such topics as the role of biology in thinking and the effect of medications on behavior and mood as well as research methods and experiment design.
“The brain is a total mystery compared to the other organs. We know how a heart works, but there's so much we don't know about the brain.”Dan, senior, psychology and biology, University of Virginia
Are You Ready To...?
- Search for biological answers to the riddles of psychology
- Write a senior thesis (long-term research project)
- Do lab research
- Take challenging science courses
It Helps To Be...
Interested in combining a fascination with humans and animals with an interest in hard-core science. You'll need patience -- advances in scientific research are often slow in coming, and many experiments are inconclusive. Curiosity will help you stay motivated.
College Checklist
- What steps must you go through to be accepted into the major?
- Is the program good preparation for graduate school?
- Does the program focus on particular topics, such as the effect of drugs on the brain?
- Does the program offer off-campus opportunities for hands-on learning?
- Are there campus clubs related to the major?
- What are recent grads doing now?
Did You Know?
Some psychologists feel that the debate over nature vs. nurture is misguided -- that we are products of both the characteristics we are born with and the way we are raised.
Course Spotlight
Chances are good that before you graduate you'll have the opportunity to do your own research. You'll propose a theory and then set up an experiment to test it.
Maybe you'll examine the anxiety level of young golden retrievers when they're separated from their owners. Or maybe you'll study aggression in Betta splendens (also known as Siamese fighting fish). Whatever question you tackle, you'll treasure this chance to practice your research skills with plenty of support from your professor and fellow students.