...How do hormones function in our bodies? What are hormones? Do you know anything about genetics? These questions and more will be discussed in detail in the following essay. Hormones and heredity are two very different things; the only thing they have in common is that they both start with the letter “H”. Let’s break them down individually for a better understanding of what they are and how they are related to our bodies. The endocrine system plays a key role in helping to coordinate and integrate complex psychological reactions. The endocrine glands release chemical substances called hormones that are carried throughout the body by the bloodstream to help regulate bodily activities. Hormones organize the nervous system and body tissues; for example, during puberty hormones trigger the development of secondary sex characteristics like breasts in females or a deeper voice in males. Hormones activate behaviors; they affect such things as alertness or sleepiness, excitability, sexual behavior, ability to concentrate, aggressiveness, reactions to stress, and even desire for companionship. They can also have a dramatic effect on mood, emotional reactivity, ability to learn, and ability to resist disease. There are various glands located in the body which help secrete hormones into our bodies; pituitary glands are located on the underside of the brain; it produces the largest number of the body’s hormones and has the widest range of effects on the body’s functions. The pineal gland...
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...Heredity and Hormones BEH/225 3/7/2013 David Stephensen Axia College of University of Phoenix The behavior of humans change depending on each individual as each person is different. The tendencies of committing a crime, or be more intelligent or very aggressive are signs of human behavior. In biological terms these are the outcome of behavior are as a result of hormones and genes. Heredity is the foundation upon which human behavior is built. Human behavior can be influenced by genes that are already present in the framework of the person. Genes are inherited when they are passed down from parent to child. The environment can cause our genes to change, or mutate. The way that heredity influences behavior over time may change and it may not always have an influence in the future. The endocrine system is a system of glands where each gland has a type of hormone that secretes directly into the bloodstream. Hormones are chemical substances released into the bloodstream through the endocrine glands and serve a similar function or purpose to the neurotransmitters. Hormones direct such processes as metabolism, growth, and sexual development, it also have numerous affects depending on gender. The nervous system and the endocrine system work together in a constant chemical dialog. The endocrine gland consists of Pineal gland, pituitary gland, parathyroid, thyroid gland, pancreas, adrenal glands, and the gonads which consist of female ovaries, and male testes. Since hormones...
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...Heredity and Hormones Page 1 Heredity and Hormones By 09/22/2010 Axia College Heredity and Hormones Page 2 Both heredity and hormones can and do affect human behavior. I personally feel that they each play as large a par as the other. There was a time in which scientists thought that hormones were the sole driving force behind human behavior. For example, people that have higher or lower testosterone levels can at times affect their levels of aggression. As time progressed, we have learned that heredity is indeed a factor to consider. Hormones can influence behavior but there are other forces at work. Heredity is like the beginning. We all start at ground zero with a blank slate. Heredity can nudge us north or east but it is up to us if we head in one direction or the other. Heredity is the potential for action. Hormones influence you further and changes throughout your life; but again, these are forces that are influences – not rules. The endocrine system plays a huge part in hormonal change. Interestingly enough, the endocrine system has not ducts to supply hormones. Because of this, all the hormones supplied by this system are inserted directly into the bloodstream. This system is also key in the fact that it is responsible for supplying thirty hormones to the body. The reason though for me to bring this system up in this setting is to address...
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...Heredity and Hormones Petrina M Murti BEH/225 August 29, 2012 When comparing and contrasting the influence of heredity and hormones on human behavior I found that both play a major role that is perfectly balanced in order for a human to function properly. Heredity is the biological process of inheriting certain traits of physical and mental qualities through generations from each parent at the time of conception. Hormones are the development of a person their growth; the ability to concentrate, aggressiveness, sexual drive, reproduction, metabolism and play a major role on the ability to learn and the type of mood a person is in. The endocrine system plays a key role in helping to “coordinate and integrate complex psychological reactions” (Morris & Maisto, pg. 65, 2010). It consists of the pituitary gland; pineal gland, the thyroid gland, the parathyroid gland, the pancreas, gonads, ovaries, and the adrenal glands. Each one of the glands in the endocrine system secretes a different hormone right into the bloodstream which then is responsible for a different function. For example, the thyroid gland is located “below the larynx” it produces the hormone called thyroxin which “regulates the body’s rate of metabolism and thus how alert and energetic people are and how fat or thin they tend to be” (Morris & Maisto, pg. 66, 2010). An overactive thyroid can produce different systems such as; reduced attention span, insomnia, and over excitability. According...
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...Checkpoint: Heredity and Hormones Elizabeth L. Saylor BEH 225 November 3, 2011 Axia University of Phoenix Checkpoint: Heredity and Hormones Heredity and hormones can make or break a person. To compare and contrast the influence of heredity and hormones on human behavior we must first understand what each is and what role it plays. Hormones are chemical substance that is released into the bloodstream to guide the processes of sexual development, metabolism, and growth (Morris & Maisto, 2005). Hormones have different effects on the different genders. With women hormones cause mood swings, people always assume that when a female in menstruating she is automatically in a bad mood that is not the case what happens are the women’s hormones are out of balance and this causes the “mood swings”. Thank goodness there are medications both over the counter and Doctor prescribed to help balance out the hormones. Hormones organize the entire nervous system during puberty. Hormones are responsible for behaviors because they affect alertness, excitability, sexual behavior, concentration, aggressiveness, and how one reacts to stress (Morris & Maisto, 2005). The hormones estrogen and androgen cause acne flare-ups when they are out of balance. The endocrine glands are the main glands that regulate our hormones. Endocrine glands are pituitary gland, gonads, thyroid gland, and the pineal gland (Morris & Maisto, 2005). Heredity is when genes and personal traits are passed...
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...Heredity and Hormones Rene Barnhart ADJ 235 LaToshia Stamps July 13, 2011 Heredity and hormones can both influence an individual’s behavior. Heredity is the passing of traits from a parent to their offspring. Determining how much heredity and genetics plays a role in a person’s behavior brings up the controversy of nature versus nurture. Scientists have attempted to identify specific genes that may be responsible for behaviors such as aggression, shyness, depression, anxiety and risk-taking. Studies involving twins have attempted to correlate genetics and behavior, though in those cases, the researchers were not looking for a particular gene, but for similarities within families (Morris and Maisto, 2005). Hormones; chemicals that are released from certain cells within the body and affected other parts of the body as part of the endocrine system, also play a role in a person’s behavior by determining mood. The endocrine system consists of glands such as the pituitary gland, the thyroid gland, the hypothalamus, the penal body, the adrenal glands and the ovaries and testes. The thyroid gland secretes Triodothyronine which is responsible for metabolic rates. If a person has a hyperthyroid condition in which too much of the hormone is secreted, the person can become over excited and agitated, thus, affecting behavior. The testes in males secrete the hormone testosterone...
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...Hormones and Heredity Susan Kennedy BEH/225 August 20, 2012 Rosa Grindel Hormones and Heredity Human behavior varies from individual to individual. The tendencies to commit a crime, to be more aggressive, or to be more intelligent are all indicators of human behavior. Biologically, speaking, these behavioral outcomes are a direct result of hormones and genes. First, hormones are chemical substances released into the bloodstream by way of endocrine glands. Hormones guide such processes as metabolism, growth, and sexual development. Hormones have different affects based on gender. The nervous system and the endocrine system work together in a constant chemical conversation. The endocrine glans consists of Pineal gland, pituitary gland, parathyroid, thyroid gland, pancreas, adrenal glands, ovaries, and testes. While hormones have clearly defined roles throughout one’s lifetime, genes, which affect heredity, are responsive to the environment and their role clearly changes with respect to the environment. It should be noted that heredity is not some sort of master puppet holding the strings and controlling the environment. As a matter of fact, genes change or evolve based on the environment hence explaining the reason why things such as mutations and variations occur. Therefore, the way heredity influences human behavior at one point in time may not necessarily be the same way it does years to come. Conversely, hormones are very specific in nature, their presence or absence...
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...Heredity and Hormones One day I was at the mall in store a lady came up to me (total stranger) and stated “You must be Stephen Craig’s daughter, because you look just like him. Your mother did no work in creating you.” I told the lady yes I was his daughter but what amazes me was this lady I never met knew my father and stated that I look just like him. Resembling a family member physically or mentally is something that has happen in the past and will continue to happen, but it makes you wonder how can we look exactly like a relative we have never seen or just the spitting image of our parents. In my paper, I will compare and contrast the influence of heredity and hormones on human behavior, by discussing our endocrine system, identifying of hormones and the glands responsible for secreting them, and genetics. Heredity and Hormones Heredity is the genetic transmission of characteristics from parent to offspring. Also it is the sum of characteristics and associated potentialities transmitted genetically to individual organism. Hormones are messengers that secreted by cell or gland. Hormones cause our moods to change, controls our reproductive system, cause us to hungry or crave a certain food. Imagine that our body is a house under construction, heredity is the blueprint, and hormones are the construction workers (Lyke, December 2009). The Endocrine System If hormones are the construction workers, then...
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...Heredity and Hormones May 2, 2012 BEH 225 Heredity and Hormones 2 A person’s behavior can come from heredity and hormones. A person’s heredity can be passed down to them from their parents. This causes a conflict or controversy when nature and nurture come in to play with heredity. Scientists have been trying to determine what genes are responsible for our behavior for many years. Many behaviors that are included are risk-takers, being shy, anxiety, depression, and aggression. Studies involving twins have attempted to correlate genetics and behavior, though in those cases, the researchers were not looking for a particular gene, but for similarities within families, Morris, C. and Maisto, A. (2005). A person can quickly pick up the mood of a person simply by their behavior. Glands of the endocrine system are Pituitary gland, Thyroid gland, Adrenal gland’s, Ovaries, Testes, Hypothalamus and the Pineal. T3 which is know as Triiodothyronine is secreted by the Thyroid gland. Triiodothyronine affects almost every physiological process in the body, including growth and development, metabolism, body temperature, and heart rate, New England Journal of Medicine (1999). The Pituitary gland sometimes called the “master gland” is significant in regulating other endocrine glands, Morris, C. and Maisto, A. (2005). Chemical can be released by certain cells that can affect different body parts. Hormones...
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...Heredity and Hormones Elizabeth Priest The way that we as human beings, behave and react to situations is shaped by many factors, heredity and hormones being the most prominent. Heredity is the foundation upon which human behavior is built. Human behavior can be influenced by genes that are already present in the framework of the person. Genes are inherited when they are passed down from parent to child. The environment can cause our genes to change, or mutate. The way that heredity influences behavior over time may change and it may not always have an influence in the future. The endocrine system is a vital part of coordinating and integrating the many complex reactions that make up the human psyche. Hormones are chemicals released by the endocrine glands. After being released from the endocrine glands, hormones then travel to the rest of the body via the blood stream. Hormones carry messages and help regulate bodily activities. Hormones are activators for different behaviors. Hormones can affect mood, emotional reactions, and learning ability. Changes in hormones can contribute to mental disorders like depression. The pituitary gland, often called the master gland, is located on the underside of the brain and is connected to the hypothalamus. The pituitary gland produces the largest number of different hormones and has the widest range of effects on bodily functions. The thyroid gland is an endocrine gland that produces thyroxin and is located just below the larynx...
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...Heredity and Hormones BEH/225 April 12, 2011 Heredity and Hormones Human behavior can be affected by many things. Human behavior though is more influenced by hormones than heredity. Genes do not directly cause behavior. Genes do affect the development and operation of the nervous system and the endocrine system which influence the likelihood of certain behavior (Morris & Maisto, 2002). Nature vs. Nurture means that scientists think that people behave as they do according to genetic predispositions (nature). Other scientists believe that people behave or think a certain way because they were taught to be that way (nurture). Scientists believe that DNA plays a part in human behaviors, and this debate continues (Powell, 2010). The endocrine system is made up of endocrine glands that produce hormones. Hormones are also involved in regulating the emotional life. Hormones organize the nervous system and body tissues plus they have a dramatic effect on mood (Morris & Maisto, 2002). The endocrine glands are located throughout the body. Thyroid gland is located just below the voice box and it produces Thyroxin, which regulates the body’s metabolism rate. Too much or too little can affect how a person feels and behaves. The thyroid contains four tiny organs that control the calcium and phosphate within the body and can influence levels of excitability (Morris & Maisto, 2002). Melatonin is secreted by the pineal gland. Melatonin regulates the sleep-wake...
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...Influence of Heredity and Hormones on Human Behaviour Heredity is commonly defined as the process of passing down the biological traits from parent to offspring through genes. Aside from the environmental factors, the genes have been known to confer different degrees of influence on the development of diseases, characters, and behaviour in humans. The hormones on the other hand, are commonly known as the body’s chemical messengers that have effect on various processes in the body including the mood. Humans behave differently and studies found that both heredity and hormones affects human behaviour though in different ways. Further details by comparing and contrasting on how genes and heredity affect the human behaviour will make this subject clearer. Knowing heredity, we develop an understanding that the genes inherited are the main foundation that makes a certain individual a distinct person. It is heredity that makes a person who he is and what he is. Every human has an inherited genes embedded in the body system which serve as the guidelines in the development of the individual’s distinct physical characteristics. The genes also shape the development the organ systems particularly the nervous system and the endocrine system. The most significant organ of the nervous system perhaps that is developed with the influence of the inherited genes is the brain. Giving a closer look, the genes actually are not capable of directly affecting the behaviour. (Johnston & Edwards...
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...Heredity and Hormones BEH 225 October 20, 20011 The endocrine system is a system of glands and each gland has a type of hormone that secretes directly into the bloodstream. It helps coordinate and integrate complex psychological reactions the endocrine system, it also works with the nervous system because together they are constantly transferring chemicals to each other. The endocrine system has five glands and they all produce hormones for different things, they produce hormones and they spread through the bloodstream. We have a thyroid gland that produces thyroxin, which is a primary hormone that helps regulate the body’s metabolism. We also have a pineal gland, which creates the hormone melatonin, and this hormone helps with sleep-wake cycles. The parathyroids are four tiny organs that control balance. The pancreas controls the level of sugar in the blood this is controlled by two hormones: insulin and glucagon. The gland that produces the most hormones is the pituitary gland the hormones controls high blood pressure, thirst, sexual behavior and other body functions. The pituitary gland is the master gland because it affects other glands. Our endocrine system has a gland that produces hormones and if the hormones are not produced correctly it affects the behavior with our body. Other things affect us on in human behavior. We have two things that influences or affects the heredity on human behavior, which are behavior genetics and evolutionary psychology. The difference...
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...Influence of Heredity and Hormones on Human Behavior Introduction to Behavioral Science 1/17/2013 Christina Lakeman Throughout the years many scientist and psychologist argued the impact of “nature versus nurture” some believe that we are influenced by our environment and experiences (nurture) and others believes that who we are based on our genetic makeup and heredity (nature). The question to whether we as humans are influenced by nurture or do we inherit certain levels of intelligence has never been answered, but there are test that prove assumptions, but the argument is still relevant today. “Behavior genetics focuses on the extent to which heredity accounts for individual differences in behavior and thinking.” There are chromosomes in each of us that carry genes, which are the basic units of heredity, and we inherit things from our parents such as the same eye color, and facial features. So it is proven that genes are inherited, and certain characteristics are passed on from one person to another, but the question still arises when it comes to behaviors and ways of thinking. Genes do not directly affect behavior, but they do affect both the development and operation of the nervous system and the endocrine system, which, in turn, influence the likelihood that a certain behavior will occur under circumstances (Moffitt, 2005; Wahlsten, 1999). Hormones The endocrine system is a form of communication in our body that is made up of endocrine glands that produce...
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...Heredity and Hormones: Influence on Human Behavior Justin Benassi AXIA College of the University of Phoenix BEH 225 Influence: Heredity and Hormones on Human Behavior Debates on nature versus nurture are more likely to determine that genetics are the cause for human behavior. Increasingly, researchers are directing attention on the cohesion of genes and behavior; therefore, their tendency to follow a line of investigation on the influence of heredity on human behavior increases the belief that genetics is a major issue that influences physical behaviors. However, the lone fact of connection between genetics and behavior seems to be too simplistic to describe the complex process of human behavior. The factor of hormones’ influence on behavior is additionally identified; which brings into debate the reality of behavior being controlled exclusively by genetics. The endocrine system, connected to most of the other core systems of the body, is exceptionally active. The production and regulation of hormones is executed via the endocrine system. Hormones are chemical “couriers” inside of the human body that are able to generate particular reactions in cells or organs throughout a number of conflicting systems, thus permitting the endocrine system to lead processes such as development, reproduction, and behavior along with other systems. The glands produce hormones and a few organs spreading into different regions of the body. According to Morris and Maisto (2002)...
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