Hormones and Behaviour: A Psychological Approach

by Nick Neave

Overview

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521692014
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	12/20/2007
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	366
Product dimensions:	6.85(w) x 9.76(h) x 0.87(d)

About the Author

Nick Neave is Reader in Psychology at Northumbria University.

Table of Contents

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.

Editorial Reviews

"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


"Overall, Neave's book offers a balanced and comprehensive overview of behavioral endocrinology....in the hands of a good instructor,Neave's book provides a good overview of the endocrinology of sex, aggression, competition, parenting, and cognition—all topics of interest to psychologists."
—Matthew L. Newman, PsycCritiques


"Neave (psychology, Northumbria Univ., UK) has written an excellent overview of the emerging field of behavioral endocrinology...In 11 well-written chapters, the book presents an introduction to the nervous and endocrine systems and then examines evidence regarding how harmones affect behavior and vice versa. Readers will learn a great deal about the complexities of harmonal regulation of reproductive and sexual activities, attachment, bonding, parental behaviors, aggression, cognitive processing, and sex difference. Current research activities are nicely presented in their historical context. The book is scholarly (it includes 60 pages of references) but eminently readable by anyone interested in psychobiology, behavioral neuroscience, and various medical fields. Recommended..."
—G.B. Rollman, University of Western Ontario, CHOICE

From the Publisher