There is a lack of UK authored Psychobiology texts. The market is dominated by US books that do not have the BPS syllabus in mind when publishing. Given that Psychobiology is a core area within the BPS syllabus it is essential that the book will focus on this, whilst taking the reader beyond for those idiosyncratic third year courses.
The aim of the book is thus to:
- provide a textbook in Psychobiology that adheres to and extends the BPS syllabus
- present a text that is accessible and comprehensive assuming no prior knowledge (appealling to the biological resistant psychology student)
- emphasise the role of Psychobiology in practice and the real world
- emphasise the interaction of Psychobiology with other areas of psychology (e.g. social psychology) and other disciplines (e.g. medicine, pharmacology)
- introduce the reader to a range of research methodologies used in Psychobiology research
- provide a textbook on Psychobiology that views this material from a UK perspective; this will involve the use of examples and illustrations that will be familiar and relevant to UK readers (e.g. NICE guidance, not FDA)
The text will:
- use as many real world examples as possible
- emphasise the different levels of analysis and experimentation
- include evolutionary explanations of behaviour where possible
- use up to date experiments and a focus on methodology when appropriate
All chapters will have:
- illustrations, figures and photographs in full colour
- learning objectives/outcomes
- an introductory paragraph outlining the contents of each chapters and what to expect
- key terms highlighted in boxes with definitions
- boxed features e.g. case studies, key investigators, practical applications, etc
The supporting website will feature:
- podcasts - mini accounts of key points that could be downloaded with a visual animation and dialogue
- test battery for lecturers
- MCQ resources for students
- downloadable figures/summaries/lecturer slides
