Hormones & Behaviour

Question 1

Hormones

Answer 1

organic chemical messenger released by endocrine cells that travel through the blood interact w other target cells

Question 2

endocrine glands

Answer 2

releases hormones into blood stream in response to specific biological signals

• operates over great distance & higher temporal ranges than neurotransmitters
  ex: testosterone, estradiol, progesterone, cortisol

Question 3

hormones affecting behaviour

Answer 3

oxytocin, vasopressin, prolactin, leptin

Question 4

Steroid hormones

Answer 4

cortisol, estradiol, testosterone

Question 5

cortisol

Answer 5

increases carbohydrate metabolism; mediates stress response

Question 6

estradiol

Answer 6

female development tissue; regulates sexual motivation and performance in females and males

Question 7

testosterone

Answer 7

promotes sperm production and male secondary sexual characteristics
- promotes sexual motivation and behaviour, typically converted to estradiol

Question 8

peptides and protein hormones

Answer 8

oxytocin, prolactin, thyroxine, vasopressin

Question 9

oxytocin

Answer 9

stimulates milk letdown and uterine contractions during birth, promotes social bonding

Question 10

prolactin

Answer 10

reproduction, water balance, parental care behaviour

Question 11

thyroxine

Answer 11

high oxidation rates in tissue, affects neural development

Question 12

vasopressin

Answer 12

high water re-absorption in kidneys and affects learning and memory

Question 13

dual hormone function

Answer 13

egg and sperm work together

target cell - cell with specific receptor for chemical messenger

Question 14

how do hormones affect behaviour

Answer 14

1. Input systems
2. Integrators
3. Output systems (effectors)
   - do not cause behaviour but influence these 3 systems

Question 15

gonadal steroid hormones

Answer 15

organizational effects upon brain and development (irreversible)

Question 16

masculinization

Answer 16

requires exposure to androgens

- required at gestation and during/after puberty

Question 17

feminization

Answer 17

requires lack of exposure to androgens

- requires estrogen to activate neural circuits

Question 18

sexual differentiation

Answer 18

process of becoming male or female

Question 19

sex determination

Answer 19

ovum(x) either gets and X or Y
- chromosomal sex - determines gonadal sex
gonadal sex - determines hormonal sex (regulates morphological sex) which leads to behavioural sex differences

Question 20

female mammals

Answer 20

considered “neutral sex”

- more steps required to become male

Question 21

aromatase

Answer 21

converts androgens into estrogens

Question 22

females

Answer 22

more sensitive to auditory info

Question 23

males

Answer 23

more sensitive to visual info

Question 24

male vs female

Answer 24

more differences within each sex than between them for cognitive abilities

Question 25

aggressive behaviour

Answer 25

androgenic steroid hormones mediate aggressive behaviour

1. seasonal variations in concentration of blood of testosterone and seasonal variation coincide
2. aggression increases at puberty when testes become active
3. males more aggressive than females

Question 26

male aggressiveness

Answer 26

• because more androgens
• exposed prenatally to androgens
• encouraged by peers to be aggressive
• parents play more roughly with boys than girls

Question 27

parental behaviours

Answer 27

contributes to survival of offspring

* maternal care more common than paternal care

Question 28

progesterone

Answer 28

involved in pregnancy and mating behaviours

Question 29

maternal instinct

Answer 29

requires hormones to increase approach tendency

Question 30

neuroendocrinology

Answer 30

study of how nervous system and endocrine system are interrelated