The Role Of Hormones To Explain Human Behaviours Such As Agression

Question 1

What do hormones do?

Answer 1

• They carry messages but travelling much slower then neurotransmitters, and travel in the blood stream
• They affect processes such as growth, development, mood and metabolism

Question 2

Where are hormones produced?

Answer 2

• in the endocrine system (groups of glands)
• in males they are produced in the testes
• in females they are produced in the ovaries

Question 3

What are the male and female hormones?

Answer 3

• male: androgens and testosterone

- female: oestrogen and progesterone

Question 4

How is behaviour affected by hormones?

Answer 4

• when hormones are released
• how concentrated the hormone is
• the environment that the hormone is released into

Question 5

What are the two ways that hormones can affect our behaviour?

Answer 5

• directly: such as sleeping

- indirectly: such as affecting our mood which then affects our behaviour

Question 6

How do hormones bring about their functions?

Answer 6

• When hormones reach their target cells, they bind to the cell and change it’s function
• cells respond in particular ways to particular hormones
• some hormones reach the brain and bring about mood changes by altering the production or re-uptake of neurotransmitters

Question 7

Compare hormones with neurotransmitters in terms of: distance travelled, areas of travel, speed of travel, intensity

Answer 7

• distance: NT= short / Hormones= large
• area: NT= restricted to appropriate neurons / Hormones= anywhere in circulatory system
• speed: NT=Very quickly, in milliseconds / Hormones= slowly, in seconds to hours
• intensity: NT= signalling is all or nothing / Hormones= vary in intensity depending on amount of hormones

Question 8

What is the role of testosterone?

Answer 8

-regulates social behaviour through it’s influence on areas of the brain implicated in aggression

Question 9

Explain how the hormone testosterone can cause aggression

Answer 9

• is an androgen hormone, which acts with androgen or oestrogen receptors in the brain, affecting the neural transmission and amount of neurotransmitters that are released at the serotonin synapses
• this lowers the amount of serotonin which is available, thereby leaving people less able to control their aggressive responses to situations and people

Question 10

What is the role of cortisol?

Answer 10

-regulates a wide range of vital processes throughout the body, including metabolism and immune responses

Question 11

Explain how the hormone cortisol can cause aggression.

Answer 11

-cortisol is a stress hormone, thereby low levels of it being released means people are less likely to feel stressed or threatened in situations, potentially causing aggressive behaviour as there is no fear of a consequence