PSY 445 - Hormones and Behavior

To what extent do hormones control who we are and how we behave? Why does the body use hormones to regulate behavior, and can our behavior influence our hormonal state? This course will examine these issues by introducing students to the field of behavioral neuroendocrinology, which is the scientific study of the bidirectional interactions among hormones, the nervous system, and behavior. This course will explore the role of hormones in sexual differentiation, sex/mating behavior, parental behavior, aggression, stress and emotions, depression, brain plasticity, learning and memory, biological rhythms, feeding, and effects of endocrine disruptors. Students will critically evaluate both human and animal research in these areas, as well as discuss the clinical and social implications of the findings.
Lecture
Credits: 3
Prerequisite(s): PSY 201 or BIO 101 or permission of instructor; Not Open to Freshmen
Oral Intensive. Offered in the Fall Semester