HORMONES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR
Complex social behavior emerges from the interplay of hormones, the brain and environmental signals. Introduces how hormones and neurotransmitters shape brain and behavior in animals and humans. Review the mechanisms by which hormones shape brain sex differences and its consequences on juvenile (i.e. play) and adult behavior. Examine how hormones influence sexual behavior using basic animal models, and extend this to human sex differences, including sexual orientation. Additional topics include how hormones shape competitive and affiliative behaviors, eating disorders, and stress and mental health, as well as how individual variation occurs in response to the changing environment and genetic landscape, including epigenetics at an introductory level.
Topics
- how hormones shape competitive and affiliative behaviors
- eating disorders
- and stress and mental health
- as well as how individual variation occurs in response to the changing environment and genetic landscape
- including epigenetics at an introductory level
Topics explicitly listed in official catalogue description
Prerequisites & course information
Requisites: PSYCH 406 , 413, 414 , 449 , 450 , 454 , or ZOOLOGY/PSYCH 523 Course Designation: Core GenEd - Natural Science & Wellness + Lab Breadth - Biological Science or Social Science Level - Intermediate L&S Credit - L&S Liberal Arts and Science Repeatable for Credit: No Last Taught: Spring 2026 Learning Outcomes: 1. Describe sex differences in structure and function of the brain. Audience: Undergraduate 2. Summarize how early exposure to hormones shapes lasting differences in the brain. Audience: Undergraduate 3. Describe how sex differences contribute to risk for mental health disorders. Audience: Undergraduate 4. Discuss why some individuals express different types of social behavior. Audience: Undergraduate 5. Discuss how hormones influence how much we eat. Audience: Undergraduate 6. Differentiate how hormones shape juvenile and adult behavior. Audience: Undergraduate 7. Explain how endocrine disruptors can influence health. Audience: Undergraduate Learning Outcomes: 1. Describe sex differences in structure and function of the brain. Audience: Undergraduate 2. Summarize how early exposure to hormones shapes lasting differences in the brain. Audience: Undergraduate 3. Describe how sex differences contribute to risk for mental health disorders. Audience: Undergraduate 4. Discuss why some individuals express different types of social behavior. Audience: Undergraduate 5. Discuss how hormones influence how much we eat. Audience: Undergraduate 6. Differentiate how hormones shape juvenile and adult behavior. Audience: Undergraduate 7. Explain how endocrine disruptors can influence health. Audience: Undergraduate
Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026-2027