Hormones and Behaviour: A Psychological Approach

Recent advances in non-invasive sampling techniques have led to an increase in the study of hormones and behaviour. Behaviour is complex but can be explained to a large degree by interactions between various psychological and physiological components, such as the interplay between hormonal and psychological systems. This new textbook from Nick Neave offers a detailed introduction to the fascinating science of behavioural endocrinology from a psychological perspective, examining the relationships between hormones and behaviour in both humans and animals. Neave explains the endocrine system and the ways in which hormones can influence brain structure and function, and presents a series of examples to demonstrate how hormones can influence specific behaviours, including sexual determination and differentiation, neurological differentiation, parental behaviours, aggressive behaviours and cognition. This introductory textbook will appeal to second and third year social science undergraduate students in psychology and biomedicine.

• The first textbook on hormones and behaviour to adopt a psychological approach – aimed directly at psychology students, rather than medical students • Considers behaviour in both humans and animals whereas many texts use animal testing methods only • Uses a series of examples to explain different behavioural types, including sexual determination and differentiation, neurological differentiation, parental behaviours, aggressive behaviours and cognition

1. Background to psychobiology; 2. Hormones and the endocrine system; 3. Behavioural endocrinology; 4. Neurological effects of hormones; 5. Typical sexual determination/differentiation; 6. Atypical sexual differentiation; 7. Neural differentiation; 8. Reproductive/sexual behaviours; 9. Attachment/parental behaviours; 10. Aggressive/competitive behaviours; 11. Sex steroids and cognition.

\'An extremely well-written textbook covering an important area of psychology in which suitable books are currently lacking. The author draws on a large body of research evidence in order to demonstrate the main points and the style of writing is particularly accessible to students.\' Dr Claire Gibson, School of Psychology, University of Leicester