Hormones & Their Effect on Behaviour – What are hormones?
What is a hormone?
- A hormone is a chemical that is secreted by the endocrine glands into the blood stream which then distributes it around the body
- The major endocrine gland is the pituitary gland which regulates the secretion of all hormones
- Hormones act slowly (unlike neurotransmitters which act fast) and may take years to fully have an effect: e.g. puberty involves the slow release of testosterone (males) oestrogen (females)
- Testosterone and oestrogen are, respectively, the male and female sex hormones which control primary and secondary sexual characteristics
- Testosterone and oestrogen also regulate key milestones such as puberty, sperm production (testosterone), the menstrual cycle and menopause (oestrogen)
- The major gland which regulates hormones is the pituitary gland, located at the base of the hypothalamus
- Hormones will have different effects on the body and on behaviour, depending on the nature of the hormone itself: e.g. cortisol is known as the stress hormone as it is secreted during times of stress/anxiety; melatonin regulates the sleep-wake cycle
Hormones list
Secreted by the pituitary gland:
- Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH)
- Follicle-stimulating hormone
- Growth hormone
- Luteinising hormone
- Oxytocin
- Prolactin
- Thyroid-stimulating hormone
- Vasopressin
Secreted by other glands under the control of the pituitary gland:
- Melatonin
- Thyroxine
- Calcitonin
- Parathryoid
- Cortisol
- Aldosterone
- Adrenaline and noradrenaline
- Insulin
- Glucagon
- Oestrogen
- Testosterone
- Progesterone
- Thymosin
Exam Tip
When writing about hormones in the exam, remember to place the emphasis on the effect of the hormone on behaviour rather than just describing what the hormone is and where/how it is secreted. Psychology is interested in the behaviour rather than the hormone. While you will obviously need to demonstrate that you understand the biology behind the topic, the focus of your response should be on the resulting behaviour.