Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience

Code:

LPSI209

Acronym:

NCA

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Behavior Biology

Instance: 2025/2026 - 2S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Psychology
Course/CS Responsible:	First degree in Psychology

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
LPSIC	213	Official Curricular Structure	2	-	3	27	81

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

Introduction to the domain of Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, an area that serves as an interface between Psychology and Neuroscience.

Learning outcomes and competences

At the end of this course, students are expected to:

1. understand the historical context, the theoretical foundations, and the technical and methodological advances that underlie the emergence and development of Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience;
2. know the mecanisms underlying the primary regulation of behavior;
3. know the neurobiological bases of the mais cognitive and affective processes;
4. be able to frame the contents within the curriculum of Psychology and to use them to reflect about behavior.

Working method

Presencial

Program

1. Introduction to Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience
1.1. Historical overview: from the Cognitive Revolution to Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience
1.2. The big conceptual questions on the relationship between brain and mind
1.3. Methods and techniques for studying brain function

2. Primary regulation of behavior and homeostasis:
2.1. Reflex regulation
2.2. Primary motivations

3. Neurobiological bases of cognitive and affective processes:
3.1. Sensory systems and Perception
3.2. Motor systems and Action
3.3. Memory: celular mechanisms and brain systems
3.4. Emotions
3.4.1. Theories of emotion in Psychology and Neuroscience
3.4.2. Emotional influence on other mental functions
3.4.3. Affective experience and emotional regulation
3.5. Decision Making
3.6. Executive Functions
3.7.  Social Cognition

Mandatory literature

Dale Purves; Principles of cognitive neuroscience. ISBN: 978-0-87893-573-4
Bryan Kolb; Fundamentals of human neuropsychology. ISBN: 978-1-4292-8295-6

Complementary Bibliography

John P. J. Pinel; Biopsychology. ISBN: 978-1-292-15847-1
John T. Cacioppo; Handbook of psychophysiology. ISBN: 978-0-521-84471-0
Jorge Armony; The Cambridge handbook of human affective neuroscience. ISBN: 978-0-521-17155-7

Teaching methods and learning activities

The course consists of theoretical lectures that consist of presentations of the contents (27h), complemented by autonomous work (estimated 54h) that allows a deeper understanding of the course topics. The student can access a resource center (Brain Study Support Center), equipped with neuroanatomical models and audiovisual materials, that provides a complement to classes. Additional study support materials are made available online through the Moodle platform (e.g., texts, slides, software, online resources).
Evaluation is done exclusively via a final exam.

Evaluation Type

Evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

designation	Weight (%)
Exame	100,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	54,00
Frequência das aulas	27,00
Total:	81,00

Eligibility for exams

A student will be approved if her final classification is equal to or greater than 9.5 points (out of 20).

Calculation formula of final grade

The final grade corresponds to the exam grade, but there is the possibility of completing weekly Moodle exercises that allow you to obtain 10% of the grade.

The weekly exercises will be available to be completed between the end of the week's class and the beginning of the following class.

The score for this component will be the average of the weekly results, excluding the week with the lowest score, and may be worth a maximum of 10% of the grade (2 points). Moodle will be programmed to display the grade for each exercise after the deadline for completion.

Each student's grade will be the most favorable: 100% exam (0-20 points) or 90% exam (0-18) + 10% exercises (0-2).

In conclusion, completing the Moodle exercises is entirely optional, and the student's final grade will always be the one that is most favorable between the exam and exam+exercises (teachers will share a provisional grade sheet with both classifications). It is hoped that this measure will encourage distributed study of the course subjects and facilitate student learning.

Classification improvement

Grade improvement applies only to the final exam, maintaining the same rules that apply to the regular exam (final grade will be the most favorable between the exam and exam+exercises).