PSYC 370 Chapter Notes - Chapter 13: Periaqueductal Gray, Orbitofrontal Cortex, Dihydrotestosterone
16 Dec 2016
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Document Summary
Men are men & women are women assumption = tendency to think about femaleness & maleness as discrete, mutually exclusive, opposite categories; that sex specific hormones make us male & female. Hormones influence sex by (1) influencing the development from conception to sexual maturity of the anatomical, physiological, & behavioural characteristics (distinguishing one as female or male) (2) activating the reproduction-related behaviour of sexually mature adults. Focus on the glands & hormones directly involved in sexual development & behaviour. Only organs whose primary func = the release of hormones are endocrine glands although other organs & body fat also release hormones into circulation. Inside cell, steroid can bind to receptors in the cytoplasm or nucleus (directly influence gene expression); steroid hormones tend to have the most diverse & long-lasting effects on cellular func. Female gonadal hormone levels are cyclic & male levels are steady: both sexes have the same hormones, the hormones are not present at the same levels.
