WRIT 021: BIOLOGICAL BASIS OF BEHAVIOR (BIBB)
Spring 2022 Courses
WRIT 021 301
TR 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
Hipolit
The Social Brain
Fulfills the Writing Requirement
The joy of being surrounded by family or the heartache of being excluded from a group of friends are both fundamental emotions that everyone has experienced. This underlying need to connect with others is a biologically based phenomenon. In this writing seminar, we will use Matthew Lieberman's text, Social, to explore how our brains are hardwired to be social. Starting with an understanding of the neurological basis for social pain and social pleasure, Lieberman's book will then guide us to understanding how the human brain attempts to socially connect with others through "mindreading" in order to understand others' thoughts and actions. We will then progress to discussing how humans attempt to harmonize our behaviors to fit in with our social group, and will also talk about the real-world implications of our social brain in fields such as business and education. As we explore this topic, the course will use this scholarly information as a basis for understanding writing within the discipline of neuroscience. This includes learning about types of reasoning, evidence, citation practices, and other means of sharing knowledge with diverse audiences. Throughout, students are introduced to new writing situations, including a literature review, public argument, and cover letter, as a means of sharpening their skills and learning how to be adaptive effective writers.
WRIT 021 302
MW 1:45 PM - 3:15 PM
Taylor
The Mind of a Dog
Fulfills the Writing Requirement
For many of us, dogs are ideal companions: friendly, sympathetic, enthusiastic, and nonjudgmental. These are some of the attributes that earns the humble dog the title of humankind's best friend. Although we're familiar with what it's like to have dogs around us, it's trickier to understand what life is like from a dog's perspective. In this writing seminar, we'll explore issues surrounding canine psychology. Our starting point will be the insightful book What It's Like to Be a Dog by psychologist and neuroscientist Gregory Burns. Students will also develop expertise on nearby topics via their own research projects. Other literature analyzed in the course may come from disciplines such as philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, biology, and cognitive science.
WRIT 021 303
MW 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Taylor
The Mind of a Dog
Fulfills the Writing Requirement
For many of us, dogs are ideal companions: friendly, sympathetic, enthusiastic, and nonjudgmental. These are some of the attributes that earns the humble dog the title of humankind's best friend. Although we're familiar with what it's like to have dogs around us, it's trickier to understand what life is like from a dog's perspective. In this writing seminar, we'll explore issues surrounding canine psychology. Our starting point will be the insightful book What It's Like to Be a Dog by psychologist and neuroscientist Gregory Burns. Students will also develop expertise on nearby topics via their own research projects. Other literature analyzed in the course may come from disciplines such as philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, biology, and cognitive science.