Functions of Hormones in Human Behavior

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Functions of Hormones in Human Behavior

• IB Psychology
• From Levels of Analysis in Psychology

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Function of Hormones in Human Behavior

• Hormones are a contributing factor to behavior.

• No modern psychologist suggests that hormones are
  the only factor explaining human behavior.

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Hormones that Strongly Influence behavior

• Cortisol (stress hormone)

• Estrogen and Testosterone

• All three are steroid hormones and are powerful
  influences on behavior.

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Steroid Hormones

• Produced by the adrenal cortex and gonads.

• Influence the transcription process of genes
  contribute to the difference between males and
  females on some cognitive tasks.

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Depression Stress hormones, neurotransmission,
and genes.

• The World Health Organization predicts that
  depression will be the number one health problem
  in the future.

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Sapolskis Research

• Stress Hormones are secreted any time we
  experience the fight or flight syndrome.

• Most humans get this feeling from the
  expectation of stressful situations or from
  imagined stressors.

• Imagined stressors are social and psychological
  in nature.

• Imagined or not the stress still affects the body
  the same way.

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HPA Axis

• The HPA (hypothalamic-petuitary-adrenal) axis is
  activated when stress is experienced.

• A constantly activated HPA axis will have the
  following effects
• Weakened immune system
• Impaired memory
• Increased risk of depression

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Sapolskis Research

• People with depression have malfunctioning
  neurotransmitter systems.

• Chronic high levels of stress hormones can alter
  the structure and function of serotonin,
  dopamine, and norepinephrine.

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Depression, Hormones, and the Brain

• Many people with depression have a smaller
  hippocampus.

• Cells in the hippocampus have receptors for
  stress hormones and long-term exposure to stress
  means that stress hormones can bind to cells and
  change them, possibly permanently (Walker, 2001).

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Depression, Hormones, and Genetics

• High stress levels affect genes.

• Stress hormones affect the 5-HTT gene (a gene
  known to be linked to depression).

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Other factors that contribute

• Thinking and social expectations create imagined
  stressors.

• Negative Cognitive Style

• Low Perceived Efficacy

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Depression Gender, stress hormones, and genes.

• Susan Nolan-Hoeksma (2001) Gender Differences in
  Depression
• Meta-Analysis Combines the results of several
  studies that address a set of related research
  hypotheses.

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Nolen-Hoeksema (2001)

• Women are twice as likely as men to develop
  depression.

• Transactional Model for depression depression
  impairs social and occupational functioning, and
  then can have a major impact on the environment.

• Developmental Model for depression How age
  groups differ in depression.

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Nolen-Hoeksema (2001)

• Stressful Life Events
• Victimization
• Chronic Stress
• Gender Intensification in Adolescence
• Reactivity to Stress
• Biological Responses to Stress
• Self-Concept
• Coping Styles