This exam focus covers Exam Focus within Hormones & Behaviour for GCSE Biology. Topic 8: Hormones & Behaviour It is section 7 of 9 in this topic. Treat this as a marking guide for what examiners are looking for, not just a fact list.
Topic position
Section 7 of 9
Practice
15 questions
Recall
20 flashcards
Exam Focus
Frequently Examined — AQA Paper 2Adrenaline and thyroxine are examined regularly, often as part of broader endocrine system questions. The key question types are:
- Describe adrenaline effects (3-4 marks): List at least three specific physiological changes and link each to how it prepares the body for action. Generic answers ("the body gets ready to run") score nothing — name the organ and the change.
- Explain thyroxine negative feedback (4-6 marks): Must include: low thyroxine → pituitary detects → TSH released → thyroid stimulated → thyroxine rises → pituitary reduces TSH. All six steps for full marks.
- Compare nervous and hormonal systems (4 marks): Speed, duration, method of transmission, and specificity. Use comparative language ("faster than," "longer lasting than").
- Hypothyroidism application question: Given a patient with symptoms, explain why low thyroxine causes those symptoms — always link back to reduced metabolic rate.
Command word alert: "Describe" means list observable features; "Explain" means give the mechanism and reason. These command words are worth at least 1 mark each if followed correctly.