Psych 132: Hormones and Behavior

Michael Gorman July 2

Course website •  http://gormanlab.ucsd.edu/courses/psyc132.html

•  Introduction/ice breaking

•  Thinking about scientific experiments/writing

•  Identifying questions/issues

Today

Teaching goals •  Improve ability to express oneself •  Teach science as intellectual discipline rather than as product •  Make you more aware of varieties of human experience •  Probe connections between animal and human sciences •  Become more scientifically literate •  Develop non-text reading skills •  Develop awareness about social issues •  Provide a mental work-out •  Make you better readers •  Learn nuts/bolts about hormones; about behavior; about connection

between the 2 •  Stimulate career interest •  Develop ability to work with information of varying degrees of certainty •  Balance criticism and positive approaches •  Encourage you to evaluate truth of things •  Think about your educational goals •  Have enjoyable and challenging learning experience

How to approach this topic?

•  What hormones do people take or are otherwise exposed to?

How to approach this topic?

•  How do hormones affect your behavior? How certain are you?

Groups of 3-5

•  Speculate freely on what this could mean

•  Think through what you should know to deeply understand how and why this happens

25 min break and reading •  Brizendine – “The Female Brain”

•  Overall impression

•  Specific examples –  Are data strong? –  Are inferences solid? –  How is evidence used?

Everyday Life