Social Hormones and Human Behavior: What Do We Know and Where Do We Go from Here

ISBN-10: 2889194078
ISBN-13: 9782889194070
Category: Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry
Language: English
Published: 2015-02-11
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Authors: Idan Shalev, Richard Paul Ebstein

Description

Oxytocin (OT) and arginine vasopressin (AVP) are the paramount social hormones in mammals and accumulating evidence also strengthens the unique role of these neuropeptides also in human social behavior. Indeed from voles to humans, OT and AVP modulate an intriguing number of social behaviors resonating across species such as the quality of pair bonding, parenting, modulations of social stress, in-group & out-group relationships and social communications. Recent molecular genetic studies of the oxytocin (OXTR), arginine vasopressin 1a (AVPR1a) and arginine vasopressin 1b (AVPR1b) receptors have strengthened the role of these two neuropeptides in a range of normal and pathological human behaviors. Importantly, dysfunctions in the OT and AVP neural pathways are likely contributing to deficits in social skills and communication in disorders such as autism. This Research Topic covers the state of the science and provides a deep view of social hormone research in humans to illustrates how pharmacological, genetic and neuroimaging strategies can be successfully combined toward unraveling the mystery of how human social behavior is regulated. Understanding human social behavior at the molecular level, i.e. social neuroscience, is not only crucial for treatment and diagnosis of disorders characterized by deficits in social cognition but also has important implications in establishing the congruence of findings from different approaches in the Social Sciences and Biology. We bring together in this issue a broad spectrum of investigators from the neurosciences, genetics, psychology, economics and political science towards a deeper understanding of the biological roots of human social behavior. We hope that this transdisciplinary Research Topic will bring new insights and ideas to the field, give future perspectives while also addressing open questions and limitation in order to develop intervention and prevention strategies, and to translate the basic social hormone research into clinical applications. This Research Topic covers the state of the science and provides a deep view of social hormone research in humans to illustrates how pharmacological, genetic and neuroimaging strategies can be successfully combined toward unraveling the mystery of how human social behavior is regulated. Understanding human social behavior at the molecular level, aka social neuroscience, is not only crucial for treatment and diagnosis of disorders characterized by deficits in social cognition but such an understanding has important implications for consilience of the Social Sciences and Biology. We bring together in this issue a broad spectrum of investigators from the neurosciences, genetics, psychology, economics and political science towards a deeper understanding of the biological roots of human social behavior. We hope that this transdisciplinary Research Topic will bring new insights and ideas to the field, give future perspectives while also addressing open questions and limitation in order to develop intervention and prevention strategies, and to translate the basic social hormone research into clinical applications.

Get the book

Similar books

Hormones and Social Behavior
By Donald W. Pfaff, Claude Kordon, Philippe Chanson
This book concentrates on two major topics: firstly, the molecular and neural biology of hormone actions relevant to normal social behaviors; and secondly, the clinical treatment of human patients in whom these behaviors have gone wrong.
Endocrinology of Social Relationships
By Peter B. Gray, Peter T. Ellison
The importance of hormones to reproductive behaviorÑfrom breeding cycles to male sexual displayÑis well known. What this book considers is the increasing evidence that hormones are just as important to social behavior.
Hormones and Animal Social Behavior
By Elizabeth Adkins-Regan
This book is a graduate level guide to the intersection between animal social behaviour and behavioural endocrinology.
An Introduction to Hormones and Behavior
By Karen Bales
The volume focuses on the key principles of the topic and features original readings from classic studies, as well as more recent research, to provide students with a holistic understanding of the interplay of hormones and behavior.
The Oxford Handbook of Evolutionary Psychology and Behavioral Endocrinology
By Todd K. Shackelford, Lisa L. M. Welling
The Oxford Handbook of Evolutionary Psychology and Behavioral Endocrinology offers a comprehensive and compelling review of research in behavioral endocrinology from an evolutionary perspective on human psychology.
New Aspects of Human Ethology
By Katrin Schäfer, Karl Grammer, Klaus Atzwanger
A BRIEF HISTORY OF RESEARCH ON R&T In his pioneering work on human play, Groos (1901) described many kinds of rough-and-tumble play. However, R&T was virtually an ignored topic from then until the late 1960's.
Man Is by Nature a Political Animal: Evolution, Biology, and Politics
By Peter K. Hatemi, Rose McDermott
The diversity of methods discussed and variety of issues examined here will make this book of great interest to students and scholars seeking a comprehensive overview of this emerging approach to the study of politics and behavior.
Heroes, Rogues, and Lovers: Testosterone and Behavior
By James M. Dabbs, Mary Godwin Dabbs
Since the early 1970s, when studies of testosterone first gained wide public attention, this principal male sex hormone has taken the rap for a range of characteristics or behaviors, including...
Hormones and Behavior (Preliminary Edition)
By Karen Bales
The volume focuses on the key principles of the topic and features original readings from classic studies, as well as more recent research, to provide students with a holistic understanding of the interplay of hormones and behavior.
Hormones and Behaviour: A Psychological Approach
By Nick Neave
This new textbook from Nick Neave offers a detailed introduction to the fascinating science of behavioural endocrinology from a psychological perspective, examining the relationships between hormones and behaviour in both humans and animals ...