Legal, Forensic and Criminological Psychology

The study of Emotions from XIX century to date. Emotions: adaptive roles and modulation in the context of aversive events. Genes and Behaviour. Relationship between an individual's genetic background, environment, and behavioral phenotype. The study of Stress: from the physiological approach to cognitivism and cognitive neuroscience. Relationship between stress and memory processes. Stress and aversive events. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Psychological trauma and traumatic events Cognitive and behavioural effects of trauma: role of genotype and environment in the response to traumatic events e in aggressive behaviour. The study of the relationship between memory and emotions (emotional memory): a contribution to the knowledge of the mechanisms of long-term memory formation and possible clinical implications of traumatic memories. Mechanisms underlying Consolidation and Reconsolidation of memory. Emotions and memory trace strength. Modulation of cognitive and behavioral effects of aversive events: possible interventions. Course activities will also include knowledge of research activities aimed at the study of specific memory processes, with particular emphasis on the memory of events with emotional content. In addition and particularly in the part of the course dedicated to laboratory activities, in-depth literature review activities on specific course topics are planned, with the students developing papers and PowerPoint presentations illustrating possible application and implications of the program topics.

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Emozioni e memoria di eventi traumatici A.A. 2023-2024 Below is a selection of the scientific articles used in the course lectures, which are recommended to be studied in depth in preparation for the theoretical component examination (3 cfu). · Peter J. Snyder, Rebecca Kaufman, John Harrison & Paul Maruff (2010) Charles Darwin's Emotional Expression “Experiment” and His Contribution to Modern Neuropharmacology, Journal of the History of the Neurosciences, 19:2, 158-170, DOI: 10.1080/09647040903506679 · Dalgleish T. The emotional brain. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2004 Jul;5(7):583-9. doi: 10.1038/nrn1432. PMID: 15208700. · McSwiggan S, Elger B, Appelbaum PS. The forensic use of behavioral genetics in criminal proceedings: Case of the MAOA-L genotype. Int J Law Psychiatry. 2017 Jan-Feb;50:17-23. doi: 10.1016/j.ijlp.2016.09.005. Epub 2016 Nov 4. PMID: 27823806; PMCID: PMC5250535. · Lazarus RS. From psychological stress to the emotions: a history of changing outlooks. Annu Rev Psychol. 1993; 44:1-21. · De Kloet ER, Joëls M, Holsboer F. Stress and the brain: from adaptation to disease. Nature Rev Neurosci. 2005, 6: 463-475. · de Quervain D, Schwabe L, Roozendaal B. Stress, glucocorticoids and memory: implications for treating fear-related disorders. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2017 Jan;18(1):7- 19. doi: 10.1038/nrn.2016.155. Epub 2016 Nov 24. PMID: 27881856. · McGaugh, J. L. (2004). The amygdala modulates the consolidation of memories of emotionally arousing experiences. Annual Review of Neuroscience, 27, 1– 28. · LaBar, K., Cabeza, R. Cognitive neuroscience of emotional memory. Nat Rev Neurosci 7, 54–64 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn1825 · Caspi A, McClay J, Moffitt TE, Mill J, Martin J, Craig IW, Taylor A, Poulton R. Role of genotype in the cycle of violence in maltreated children. Science. 2002 Aug 2;297(5582):851-4. · Parsons RG, Ressler KJ. Implications of memory modulation for post-traumatic stress and fear disorders. Nat Neurosci. 2013 Feb;16(2):146-53. doi: 10.1038/nn.3296. Epub 2013 Jan 28. PMID: 23354388; PMCID: PMC3752300. Suggested reading (not compulsory) · Psicologia e biologia delle emozioni. Robert Plutchik. Bollati Boringhieri, 1995 · La regolazione delle emozioni. A cura di O. Matarazzo e V. L. Zammuner. Il Mulino, 2015 · Šimić G, Tkalčić M, Vukić V, Mulc D, Španić E, Šagud M, Olucha-Bordonau FE, Vukšić M, R Hof P. Understanding Emotions: Origins and Roles of the Amygdala. Biomolecules. 2021 May 31;11(6):823. doi: 10.3390/biom11060823. PMID: 34072960; PMCID: PMC8228195.

Reccomended

A written assignment to evaluate the theoretical knowledge of the program is to be carried out on the dates determined by the university. NB: In accordance with the course decisions on laboratory activities and taking into account the opinions expressed by the students, it is considered useful, in their interest, to modify the evaluation methods by introducing a single written examination containing both questions on the laboratory activities (3 CFU) and questions on the theoretical part (3 CFU), to be taken exclusively in the context of the examination dates set by the University. It should be noted that students who do not participate in the laboratory, in addition to the above mentioned assignment, will also have to prepare a PDF paper and a PPT presentation (to be handed in to the lecturer one week before the roll call) on a topic of their choice from the programme, on which they will do an oral integration, which will take place on the same day of the roll call, following the written test.

Lectures will be delivered in person. Any necessary change in the modality will be timely and officially communicated to students. Lectures will be delivered and organized so as to favour the acquisition of knowledge regarding Psychology as outlined in the Main Objectives section.