A Historical Analysis of Behavioral Endocrinology
Behavioral endocrinology is a rapidly advancing area of research. The discipline basically involves the study of how different hormones affect human and animal behavior. Its origins can be traced back about 150 years. In 1849, a Swedish scientist, A. A. Berthold, performed a landmark experiment on roosters. Since that time, progress in the field both in Europe and the United States has occurred at varying rates. More recently, different technological innovations have led to a variety of new discoveries. This work serves to more precisely define the nature of hormonal influences on behavior. However, despite the significant advances which have been achieved, the research has yet to determine specific methods by which misguided human behavior can be effectively controlled through hormonal manipulation.
During the 1800s, researchers in anatomy and physiology began to focus their attention upon the "glands of internal secretion." At that time, certain of the "endocrine glands" had yet to even be discovered (1:328). Moreover, investigators could only speculate as to the various functions of those glands that were well known. In addition to their behavior, hypotheses often associated the glands with specific animals' morphologic and physiologic characteristics as well (1:328).
In 1849, however, A. A. Berthold, Professor of Physiology at the University of Gottingen provided the "first proof of endocrine function." Basically, Berthold's experiment involved the castration of 6 roosters. Three of the 6 roosters were then used as controls, while the other 3 had one of their severed testes reimplanted inside of their abdomens (1:328). Berthold observed that behavioral changes occurred in the control animals. The birds became ordinary capons: they no longer crowed, nor displayed sexual or aggressive behaviors. In contrast, the three birds with the abdominal ...