Explain, using examples, the function of two hormones on human behaviour

Question 1

Cortisol and memory: What is cortisol? (1)

Answer 1

• a hormone produced by the adrenal cortex in response to stress and to restore homeostasis (the body’s normal balance)

Question 2

Cortisol and memory: What may chronic stress result in? Why? (2+2)

Answer 2

• prolonged cortisol secretion which can lead to physiological changes such as
• • damaged immune system
• • impairment of learning and memory
• this is because high amounts of cortisol results in atrophy (waste away, gradually declining) of hippocampus

Question 3

Cortisol and memory: AMFCE Newcomer et al. (1999) Experiment on cortisol and memory (12)

Answer 3

Aim: to investigate how levels of cortisol interfere with verbal declarative memory

Method:

• self-selected sample (recruited through advert) of 51 normal and healthy people aged 18-39
• ranomized, controlled, double-blind experiment running for 4 days
• all participants gave informed consent
• G1 took a high level of cortisol (tablet of 160 mg per day) = equivalent cortisol levels in blood as a consequence of a major stressful event
• G2 took a low level of cortisol (table of 40 mg per day) = equivalent cortisol levels in blood as a consequence of a minor stressful event
• G3 placebo

Findings:

• G1 performed worse on verbal declarative memory test than G2 and G3
• G2 showed no memory decrease

Evaluation:

• controlled randomized experiment = possible to establish a cause-effect relationship between cortisol levels and test scores
• ethical issues observed: informed consent
• high doses of cortisol = reversible = no harm done

Question 4

Oxytocin and trust: What is oxytocin? (1+2)

Answer 4

• a hormone secreted by the hypothalamus and released either:
  1 - into the bloodstream via the pituitary gland
  2 - into the brain and spinal cord where it bonds to oxytocin receptors

Question 5

Oxytocin and trust: What does oxytocin act as in the brain? (1)

Answer 5

• a neurotransmitter

Question 6

Oxytocin and trust: What has oxytocin been linked to? (2)

Answer 6

• trusting other people

- experimental manipulation of oxytocin levels has shown increase in trust

Question 7

Oxytocin and trust: What is trust? (3)

Answer 7

• important social tool in the relationship between humans
• an adaptive mechanism as it helps humans to form meaningful relationships at a personal and professional level
• betrayal disrupts trust bonds = you to avoid the person

Question 8

Oxytocin and trust: What is trust important for? (2)

Answer 8

• for survival and well-being of an individual
• humans should also be able to move on after experiences of breaching trust if LT relationships and mental well-being are to be preserved

Question 9

Oxytocin and trust: What role does oxytocin play? (1)

Answer 9

• reducing fear reactions via the amygdala that may rise as a consequence of betrayal

Question 10

Oxytocin and trust: AMFCE Baumgartner et al. (2008) (19)

Answer 10

Aim: to investigate the role of oxytocin after breaches of trust in a trust game

Method:

• participants played a trust game
• “investor” (P1) receives a sum of money and must decided whether to keep/ share with a “trustee” (P2)
• if sum shared = sum tripled
• then P2 must decide if this sum should be shared
• fMRI scans carried out on 49 participants
• they received oxytocin or placebo via nasal spray-
• participants played against different trustees in the trust game
• participants played against a computer in the risk game
• in 50% of the games their trust was broken
• received feedback during game from experimenters

Findings:

• placebo group likely to show less trust after feedback on betrayal = invested less
• oxytocin group continued to invest at similar rates after feedback of betrayal
• fMRI scans showed decreases in responses in the amygdala and the caudate nucleus
• amygdala is involved in emotional processing and has many oxytocin receptors
• caudate nucleus associated with learning and memory and plays a role in reward-related responses and learning to trust

Conclusion:
- oxytocin could explain why people are able to restore trust and forgive in LT relationships

Evaluation:

• scanner research is merely mapping brain activity but nothing definite can be said about what it really means at this point in science
• giving oxytocin like this in an experiment may not reflect natural physiological processes = function of oxytocin is very complex and its too simplistic to say “this is the trust hormone

Question 11

Explain, using examples, the function of two hormones on human behaviour (4)

Answer 11

Cortisol and memory
AMFCE Newcomer et al. (1999)
Oxytocin and trust
AMFCE Baumgartner et al. (2008)