An Introduction to Behavioral Endocrinology

Published by Sinauer Associates, an imprint of Oxford University Press. An Introduction to Behavioral Endocrinology, Fifth Edition, retains all of the features of the bestselling prior editions, and provides an updated, integrated presentation of the study of hormone-behavior-brain interactions. Continuing to emphasize a comparative approach, the text explores the endocrine mechanisms that have evolved in both human and nonhuman animals to solve common problems in survival and reproduction. The fifth edition benefits by the addition of a new coauthor, Lance Kriegsfeld (The University of California, Berkeley), who brings additional expertise and teaching experience in behavioral endocrinology. The text describes interactions among hormones, brain, and behavior from a historical perspective, emphasizing connections among key theories and tracing the emergence of important hypotheses. The book is organized around the conceptual theme that hormones affect behavior by influencing one or more of three "components" of behaving animals—input mechanisms (such as sensory or perceptual processes), the central processing mechanisms of the nervous system (either directly, or by affecting its development or structure), and output mechanisms (such as effectors or peripheral structures). Despite increased coverage of molecular and cellular approaches, the book strives for accessibility for non-biological science students. An Introduction to Behavioral Endocrinology, Fifth Edition, is appropriate for upper-level undergraduate and graduate courses in psychology, biology, anthropology, or zoology. It contains several important pedagogical features: *Learning objectives (new to this edition) are set out at the beginning of each chapter. *Key terms are defined in the margins throughout the text. *The text is richly illustrated with color photographs and drawings. *Chapter-end summaries restate important points. *Discussion questions and suggested further readings are also included in each chapter. *The text contains nearly 2,400 references to the literature in behavioral endocrinology.