Introduction to Hormones

Ms. Carmelitano

The system of glands, each of which

secretes different types of hormones into the bloodstream to regulate the body.

The endocrine system

Different glands in the Endocrine system are

responsible for producing different hormones Because hormones are secreted into the

bloodstream, they take longer to effect behavior than neurotransmitters do.

Endocrine system

Chemicals released from endocrine tissue into

the bloodstream They travel to target tissue and generate a

response. Hormones regulate various human functions,

including metabolism, growth and development, tissue function, and mood.

Hormones

When hormones function normally, they cause us

to exhibit different behaviors When there is a malfunction in one of the

hormones, this can cause a malfunction in human behavior

Hormones and Psychology

Adrenaline Cortisol Melatonin Oxytocin Testosterone and estrogen

Important Hormones

Gland: Adrenal gland (located on the Kidneys) Function: Flight or Fight response, arousal

When we find ourselves in a life-threatening situation, this is the hormone that pushes us to act

It has been known to give people powers they did not know they had

Its release may make people feel “jittery”

Adrenaline

Schachter and Singer (1962)

Aim: To determine the role external stimuli play in reaction to adrenaline (To test the two-factory theory) The question was: when adrenaline is released, does this immediately initiate the

fight or flight response, or is their an emotional appraisal that accounts for the response?

Procedure: 184 male college students

Half given an adrenaline injection Half given a placebo of saline solution (has no effect)

Participants who received adrenaline split into 3 groups Group 1: was told nothing about the side effects of the adrenaline Group 2: was told that the substance would cause itching and numbness Group 3: was told that the injection would increase the activity of their nervous system.

(Actual reaction) Group 4: control

Then participants were taken to a room to wait with a confederate (actor) Euphoria: Confederate encouraged the participant to play games Anger: The confederate acted angry and hostile about a questionnaire the participants

were asked to fill out

Schachter and Singer (1962)

Findings: The participants in group 1 and 2 who didn't receive

accurate information about the effects of the injection tended to imitate the behaviors of the confederates. Either angry or happy

The participants who were told the truth about the adrenaline and the members of the control group were uninfluenced by the behavior of the confederates. They reported feeling jittery and increased heart rate

This supports Schachter and Singer's theory that the body reacts in physically similar ways even though different emotions are being experienced.

Gland: Pineal (located in the brain) Function: Regulation of sleep

Chemically causing drowsiness and lowering the body temperature

Inhibited by light, permitted by darkness

Melatonin

Malfunctions in Melatonin – too much

SAD Seasonal Affective Disorder

A type of seasonal depression categorized by sleepiness and lack of interest

During winter months, there are longer periods of darkness

The darkness stimulates the body to release a higher level of melatonin into the blood Will make a person feel excessively tired and

lethargic Higher Melatonin levels may lead to SAD

Avery et al. (2001)

Aim: To understand the role light plays in the production of Melatonin Procedure: Assigned 95 SAD patients to three different groups

1. Received dawn stimulation starting at 4:30 AM 2. Received traditional bright light therapy (exposed to a bright light as soon as they

woke up) 3. Placebo received exposure to red light at dawn

Findings: Those who had been exposed to the placebo or bright light showed less improvement

in their SAD symptoms. The Placebo patients reported having insomnia.

Conclusion: Symptoms of SAD are related to sleep patterns. In the winter, we wake before the sun rises. In darkness, our Melatonin rises, which helps us fall asleep. When we rise and it is still dark outside, our Melatonin levels remain high, which

causes the symptoms of SAD (feeling lethargic, feeling tired, non-motivated)

Gland: Pituitary and hypothalamus (Located in

the brain) Function: Mother-Child attachment, bonding

between sexual partners, induces labor Responsible for initiation of bonding behaviors, but

not maintenance

Oxytocin

Morhenn et al. (2008)

Aim: To determine how Oxytocin level affects levels of trust Method: Assigned 96 students randomly to 3 different groups

Blood samples of all groups were taken once before the study began and once after it was complete

1. Massage – Trust: received a Swedish massage for 15 minutes and then were asked to give money to another participant

2. Rest-Trust: did not receive a massage, rested for 15 minutes, and then were asked to give money to another participant

3. Massage only: received a Swedish massage for 15 minutes: control

Procedure: in the “trust” situations: the participant was given $10.00. They were told that they could give some of the money to another participant, and the second participant could chose to give them money in return.

Morhenn et al. (2008)

Findings: Massage only showed no significant change in

Oxytocin; however it did seem to “prime” participants to spend more money.

The group that was given the massage was more likely to give more money to their partner in the Money game.

After playing this game, in which trust was involved, the first group showed an increase in their Oxytocin levels.

Morhenn et al (2008)

Conclusion: Touch alone is not enough to increase Oxytocin levels however may prime a participant to be more

generous and trusting. Once this trust is added to the equation,

Oxytocin levels may rise, causing feelings of bonding.

This is why touch and trust are important in relationships

Gland: Gonads of the male Function: Development, emotions In men, testosterone plays a key role in the

development of male reproductive tissues (although both males and females have testosterone)

May be responsible for more aggressive behavior

Testosterone

Dabbs et al.

Aim: To study the correlation between high levels of testosterone and aggression

Procedure: Measure the level of Testosterone in 692 male adult

prisoners Tested prisoners who had committed violent and “petty”

crimes Findings:

Prisoners who committed sex and violence crime had higher level of Testosterone.

When compared to those who were in jail for property crime or drug abuse

Aim: To analyze if testosterone causes aggression,

or simply primes the behavior Procedure: Measured the testosterone levels in the

saliva of chess players before and after a match Results:

Chess players who won had higher levels of testosterone than those who lost

Conclusion: Increased levels of testosterone may not cause

aggression, but status-seeking behavior The aggression may be a result of the environment

Mazur and Booth (1992)

Gland: Adrenal (located on the Kidneys) Arousal, stress hormone, memory Cortisol is released when a person is

experiencing an external stressor in order to activate anti-stress pathways

Cortisol works with adrenaline to create memories of short-term emotional events This may help create “Flash-bulb memories” Flash-bulb memories - a highly detailed,

exceptionally vivid 'snapshot'

Cortisol

Fernald and Gunnar (2008)

Aim: To understand how poverty can affect children’s mental health by altering their cortisol levels

Procedure: Gave 639 Mexican mothers and their children, surveys to judge their levels of depression Took blood samples of the children to judge

their cortisol levels

Fernald and Gunnar (2008)

Findings Children of depressed mothers, living in

extreme poverty, produced less cortisol This left the children susceptible to depression

and disease The mother’s depression and poor living

conditions affected the child’s health