Mount Holyoke College Archives and Special Collections

Archival Inventory

Historical Sketch:
The program in psychobiology began officially in the fall of 1976 when President David B. Truman selected an interdisciplinary committee from members of the departments of Psychology and Education and Biological Sciences. In the years prior to 1976, approximately 4-6 students per year were special majors in Psychobiology. During the spring of 1976 the parent departments discussed and approved requirements for a major in psychobiology and petitioned the Academic Policy Committee to recognize the new major. Psychobiology is a field of study which explores the biological basis of behavior and the impact of behavior on the biology of the organism. It represents an outgrowth of the traditional interests of psychologists in the physiological correlates of behavior and the biologists' interest in behavior from an ethnological point of view. Psychobiology draws from many scientific traditions including: physiological psychology, the psychology of learning and memory, developmental psychology, comparative psychology, clinical psychology, and neurology, psychopharmacology, organic and biochemistry, neurophysiology, endocrinology, ethnology, and environmental biology.

Description of Records:
The Psychobiology Program Records contain annual reports from the years 1979-1993. The annual reports include information on course offerings, lectures, budgets and grants, lab facilities and equipment, and the Five College Neurosciences Program. Information on theses presented by majors and on academic achievements of majors is also included in the records.

Cite as: Psychobiology Program Records, Archives and Special Collections, Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA

Access Restrictions: Records restricted to use by office/department of origin for 25 years from date of record creation.