Hormones and Behavior
Summer II Semester
Instructors
Drs. Caitlin Gabor & Andrea Aspbury; Department of Biology, Texas State University; Email:
gabor@txstate.edu, aspbury@txstate.edu
Course Schedule
This course runs for 4 weeks. Class will meet 5 days per week, and each week will combine
daily lectures with fieldwork. Students should plan to attend class from 9-11:30am and
1:30-5pm. The timing of lectures and fieldwork may switch depending on our research
project.
Course Description and Objectives
Hormones alter the development and expression of animal behavior, while behavior in turn
changes the effects of hormones. This course will examine the ultimate causation of
behaviors as well as the mechanistic basis of those behaviors from a hormonal perspective.
We will take an evolutionary approach by emphasizing the selective pressures that act on
animals and the hormonal and behavioral responses to these pressures. Course activities
will examine behavioral and hormonal response to predation in wild populations of
animals using field endocrinological techniques. The course will combine lectures,
discussions of primary literature, and a class research project. Students will help design
and conduct the research project and submit a paper in journal format based on our
results.
Because of the compressed schedule of the course, we require a considerable amount of
outside-of-class reading, mostly primary literature posted as pdf files on the course
website: http://behavioralendocrinology.wp.txstate.edu/
Readings
These are the papers/chapters that need to be read before class to prepare for the topic of
the day.
Class Discussions
The main purpose of class discussions is to get students to read primary literature,
recognize uncertainties and differing points of view in science, analyze and synthesize a
particular viewpoint, and civilly evaluate the validity of differing points of view in a group
setting. We therefore will assign different students different papers, often espousing
opposing views on a topic, to read prior to discussion. Each student will also compile a set
of discussion questions to ask the rest of the class. During discussions, each student will
take turns briefly summarizing their paper and its point of view. Then, students will take
turns asking their discussion questions and responding to feedback. Finally, as a class, we
will attempt to synthesize the “debate” and draw general conclusions.
Research Project
This project is up for discussion but because we needed IACUC approval and permits it has
pretty much been finalized. We will get wet while watching newts (but we have waders).
Finally, we expect all students to participate fully (even joyfully) in all activities. Therefore,
part of your class grade will be based on your active participation in research.
Grading
 100 points participation in paper discussions
 100 points for participation in research activities
 10 points: Methods section of paper draft
 10 points Introduction, Methods, and Results sections drafts
 30 points complete rough draft of paper
 50 points final draft of paper
A: 270-300 points
B: 240-269 points
C: 210-239 points
Keys for Success
Any motivated student should have no trouble being successful in this class. We define
success by how much a student learns, not by how much we “teach”. If you meet the
learning objectives of this class, you will have succeeded in the class, and your grade will
reflect it. The keys for learning and success are to:
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Be curious; eager to learn new things
Maintain a positive, respectful attitude towards others
Be flexible if plans change
Talk about things you’re learning in class with classmates and faculty
Go to the nightly seminars in the MLBS seminar series
Ask questions in and out of class
Put equal care into listening and speaking during class discussions
Complete all readings and assignments on time
Show up to class on time
Keep tidy, comprehensive field, data, and in-class notes
Working with Animals
Because we are working with animals, our activities are subject to the regulations and
safeguards of the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) and the
Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) of UVA. Violation of the terms of
these permits by any student or me is strictly prohibited. We may intentionally sacrifice
some individuals for validation of the techniques we are using. If you have ethical concerns
about these activities, please contact me as soon as possible.
Date
6-15
Research Activities
 Introduction to the
study system
 Find P. cinereus
6-16
6-22
 Water-borne hormone
collection methods
 Validation and
extraction of P.
cinereus
 Female behavior
ethogram (video)
 Get CORT
 Set-up field
experiments
 Watch behavior
 Run validation plate
 Watch behavior
 Watch behavior
6-23
 Watch behavior
6-24
 Watch behavior
6-25
 Get CORT
 Switch field
treatments
 Watch behavior
 Watch behavior
 Extract hormones
6-17
6-18
6-19
6-26
6-29
6-30
7-1
7-2
7-3
 Watch behavior
 Extract hormones
 Run 2 hormone plates
 Watch behavior
 Data Analysis
 Watch behavior
 GET CORT and take
down experiment
7-7
 Extract and prepare
samples
 Run 2 hormone plates
 Data Analysis
 Finish data analyses
7-8
7-9
Go to VT??
 Clean up /go to VT??
7-6
7-10
Lecture Topics
 Behavioral Ecology
 Scientific Method
 Red-spotted newt
natural history
 Endocrine System
 Hypothesis and
prediction for
experiment
Readings
Davies et al. CH 1 and 2
Verrell (1983)
Masssey (1988)
Class Discussions
How to read primary literature
Pechenik CH 1-3
Nelson CH 2
Cort KIT EIA
Gabor et al. (2013)
Scott & Ellis (2007)
Grayson (2012)
Reedy et al. (2014)
 Stress and control
of behavior
 Stress and control
of behavior
Nelson CH 11
Sapolsky et al. (2000)
Romero et al. (2009)
Lendvai et al. (2013)
Davis & Gabor (2015)
Bliley & Woodley (2012)
Riciardella et al. (2010)
 Male Reproductive
Behavior
 Female
Reproductive
Behavior
 Sexual selection
Part 1
 Sexual selection
Part 2
 Social Behavior and
hormones
Nelson CH 5
Leary et al. (2008)
Orchinik et al. (1988)
Rollman et al. (1999)
Knapp et al. (2010)
 Behavioral
Syndromes and
Hormones
 Writing
Sih (2011)
Koolhaas et al. (2010)
Archard et al. (2012)
Furtbauer et al. (2015)
Pechenik CH 9
Writing Methods section
 Statistics and
writing
Pechenik CH 4
 Writing
 Conservation and
stress hormones
Pechenik CH 5
Cooke et al. (2013)
(maybe not)
Writing Results section
DUE: Methods draft (email by
9 AM)
Writing Introduction section
Fefferman & Romero (2013)
Busch & Hayward (2009)
DUE: Intro, Methods, Results
draft (email by 9 AM)
 Writing
Pechenik CH 6
 Data analyses and
discuss results
 Writing
Nelson CH 6
Davies et al CH 7
Nelson CH 8
Pechenik 6
Rohr et al. (2005)
Roberts et al. (2007)
Gabor et al. (2000)
Able et al. (1999)
Pradham et al. (2013)
Earley et al. (2006)
Work on writing Discussion
sections
DUE: Complete rough draft
(email by 9 AM)
Peer evaluation of papers
DUE: Complete final draft
(email by 4 PM)
Paper Reading Techniques
General advice to all participants:
 Be critical. Bear in mind the distinction between a review and a critical review.
 Note the major objectives of the study and after you have finished critically evaluating
the paper determine whether these objectives were met.
 Note and distinguish between major/minor flaws of the research.
 Consider the adequacy of the experimental design and the techniques employed.
 Pay attention to statistical considerations, e.g., replication, sample size, realism of the
treatments, etc.
 Determine whether the hypotheses that were actually tested were valid tests of the
stated null hypotheses.
 Judge whether the presentation of results accurately represents what data actually say.
Ask yourself, “Am I convinced by the story the authors created based on the data? Have
the authors taken too much latitude in interpreting their data?” (Note: the data and the
story authors create based on data don’t always come to the same happy ending.)
 Look for points that were glossed over or were buried that should have been more fully
presented or developed.
 Identify what the next step in the research program should be.
 Ask yourself “What didn’t I understand about this paper?” A lot of what is learned in
seminars originates from discussion of the grey areas of our understanding of the
research.
 Try to identify reasons for the above: (1) poor writing and explanations; (2) incomplete
description of methodologies; (3) unfamiliar experimental and/or statistical techniques.
Advice for presenters:
 Be thoroughly familiar with the paper(s)
 Be prepared to initiate and direct the discussion.
 Read the paper as if reviewing it for a journal. Think about what is new, what is good,
what is bad, what sort of errors there are and what needs fixing.
 If the discussion bogs down or begins to wander excessively or you feel the need to
move to other aspects of the research, don’t hesitate to redirect the attention of the class.
 Be prepared to support your arguments. The best way to do so is to read the material
carefully. You may also need to consult additional, outside readings for opposing views
or to clarify points made in the assigned reading.
 A brief introduction, history, or context of the work is OK but limit introductory
comments to a few minutes.
 Outline the paper and use the outline to guide your presentation where necessary.
 Be fair to the author’s arguments. Present the author's position first––and fairly––
before providing counter-arguments.
 Discuss why the paper is important
Advice to non-presenters
 Read the paper well in advance of class. (Note: glossing over a paper is not a substitute
for reading it.)
 It is not a sin to read a paper more than once
 While reading the paper write down your comments for discussion, (e.g., questions,
insights, or clarifications needed) and bring them to class.
 Don’t wait until class begins to look for something to talk about.
Reminders for Paper Writing by Dr. Robert Jaeger
1. The word “data” is plural
2. Do not use a species name with a plural verb
NO! Eurycea nana do not occur co-occur with any other species of
salamander
YES! Eurycea nana does not occur co-occur with any other species of
salamander
3. Do not use a species’ name as an adjective
NO! Eurycea nana salamanders ...
YES! Wild males of E. nana reach sexual maturity ...
NO! Male Desmognathus ochrophaeus salamanders prefer large females ...
YES! Male salamanders, Desmognathus ochrophaeus, prefer large females ..
4. Do not split infinitives
NO! I need to first examine some basic reproductive questions
YES! I need first to examine some basic reproductive questions
5. Do not use teleologies
NO! Males try to mate with bigger females
YES! Males show a greater preference to mate with bigger females