Hormones & Pheromones Flashcards
(28 cards)
What are hormones?
Hormones are chemical messengers produced by glands in the endocrine system.
How do hormones differ from neurotransmitters?
Unlike neurotransmitters, they travel through the bloodstream, affecting many target organs and take longer to influence behavior.
What is melatonin and what is its main function?
Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland. It helps regulate the circadian rhythm and induces sleep by increasing in darkness and decreasing in light.
What is Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)?
A form of depression that appears in winter when daylight hours decrease.
What did Rosenthal (1987) conclude about SAD?
Increased melatonin in winter due to less sunlight may cause depressive symptoms.
What is meant by the bidirectional relationship between hormones and behaviour?
Hormones influence behaviour, and behaviour (e.g., light exposure) can influence hormone levels.
What are pheromones?
Chemical signals secreted outside the body to communicate with others of the same species.
What is the Vomeronasal Organ (VNO)?
A structure in some animals used to detect pheromones; mostly inactive in humans.
What are some behaviours influenced by pheromones in humans?
Sexual attraction, mate selection, and social bonding.
What was the aim of McClintock & Stern’s study?
To investigate whether pheromones influence menstrual synchrony in women.
How many women participated in McClintock & Stern’s study?
29 women from 29 to 35 years old.
What was the methodology used in McClintock & Stern’s study?
A longitudinal study over several months.
What was the procedure in McClintock & Stern’s study?
Women’s menstrual cycles were tracked over time.
Sweat samples were collected from 9 of the women.
These sweat samples were then sterilized and applied to the upper lip of the other women, where they were exposed to the pheromones.
What was the main finding of McClintock & Stern’s study?
68% of the women’s menstrual cycles synchronized with the pheromone donor, occurring within one day of each other.
What was the conclusion from McClintock & Stern’s study?
Pheromones can influence menstrual synchrony in women, suggesting that they play a role in non-verbal chemical communication.
What is the evolutionary advantage of these behaviours during ovulation?
It increases chances of reproduction by attracting high-quality mates.
How do ovulating women subconsciously signal fertility?
Through behavioural cues and pheromones.
How do male pheromones affect women’s behaviour?
Male pheromones increase sexual attraction and make women appear more attractive to men.
What is a limitation of pheromone research in humans?
The evidence is not conclusive, and factors like culture and social influences also affect behaviour.
What was the aim of Rosenthal (1987)?
To investigate the role of melatonin in Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
What was the procedure of Rosenthal’s study??
Rosenthal studied patients who experienced recurrent depressive episodes in winter.
He observed behavioral patterns, mood, sleep, and physiological markers like melatonin levels.
He also analyzed geographical patterns—looking at populations in areas with low winter sunlight, such as Scandinavia, and their rates of SAD.
What was the conclusion of the study?
Reduced sunlight in winter leads to increased melatonin production, causing symptoms of sleepiness, low energy, and depression.
SAD is influenced by seasonal hormonal changes, especially in melatonin levels due to decreased light exposure.
Light therapy (exposure to artificial bright light) can alleviate symptoms by regulating melatonin.
How does Rosenthal (1987) relate to the biological approach and hormones?
The study provides evidence for a hormone-behaviour relationship: changes in environmental light influence melatonin production, which affects mood and energy, showing how hormones mediate seasonal depression.
What are the strengths of Rosenthal’s study?
Supported a biological explanation for seasonal mood variation.
Led to practical application—light therapy.
Emphasised environmental influence on biological processes (light → melatonin → mood).
