The Biology of Behavior: Is the Brain the Organ of Mental Life? 39
(a) What structure connects the two hemispheres of the brain?
(b) What hemisphere of the brain is sometimes called the “romantic” hemisphere?
Answers: (a) The corpus callosum; (b) The right hemisphere.
The Endocrine System: Moods and Your Glands
You have a set of glands in your body that have a lot to do with your moods, your
emotional states, and your behavior in general. Working together, these glands are
called the endocrine system.The glands themselves are called endocrine
glandsbecause they secrete their substances directly into the bloodstream with-
out ducts. (Endomeans “within” or “inside.” In contrast, exocrine glands,such
as salivary or digestive glands, secrete their substances “outside” of the blood-
stream.) The substances secreted by the endocrine glands are called hormones.
These, like neurotransmitters, act as chemical messengers.
The pineal glandis a tiny gland located nearly in the center of the brain. It
is called “pineal” because it is shaped something like a pine cone. Of historical
interest is the fact that the philosopher René Descartes suggested, perhaps
because it is small and centered, that the pineal gland is the place where the soul
Pineal gland
Pituitary gland
Thyroid gland
Adrenal glands
Kidneys
Pancreas gland
Ovaries (female)
Testes (male)
Gonads
Locations of the endocrine glands.
