C. Sue Carter facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
C. Sue Carter
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| Born |
San Francisco, California, United States
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| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | University of Arkansas |
| Known for | Characterizing the role of Oxytocin and Vasopressin in the neurobiology of monogamy and love |
| Awards | American Association for the Advancement of Science |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Behavioral neuroscience |
| Institutions | The Kinsey Institute |
C. Sue Carter is an American biologist and a behavioral neurobiologist. She is known around the world for her work in behavioral neuroendocrinology. This field studies how hormones affect behavior. In 2014, she became the Director of The Kinsey Institute. She also became a Rudy Professor of Biology at Indiana University. Dr. Carter was the first person to figure out how our bodies create the feelings and actions linked to social monogamy.
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Early Life and Education
Dr. Carter studied biology at Drury College in Springfield, Missouri. She then earned her PhD in Zoology from the University of Arkansas. This was in Fayetteville.
She is a respected member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Dr. Carter is married to Stephen Porges. They have two children. Her son Eric Carter Porges studies neuroscience. Her son Seth Porges used to be an editor at Popular Mechanics magazine.
Understanding Social Connections
Dr. Carter's research looks at how animals and humans form social bonds. She studies how parents behave towards their young. She also explores how social life affects stress and reproduction. She often uses small animals called prairie voles in her studies. Prairie voles are a good example because they form strong, lasting pairs.
Hormones and Behavior
Her work focuses on special chemicals in the body called neuropeptides. These include oxytocin and vasopressin. She also studies steroid hormones like estrogen. Dr. Carter's research has shown new ways these hormones work. They help control how our brains develop. They also affect how early social experiences shape us.
She has looked at how oxytocin and vasopressin might be linked to certain brain conditions. These include autism, schizophrenia, anxiety, and depression.
Pioneering Vole Research
Dr. Carter is famous for her work on the science behind social behavior. She found that oxytocin and vasopressin are key to forming strong social bonds. These bonds are seen in animals that are socially monogamous. She was a pioneer in studying these behaviors in mammals. The prairie vole was a very important animal in her studies.
Working with zoologist Lowell Getz, Dr. Carter showed how prairie voles form lasting pairs. Her studies on these rodents helped scientists understand how oxytocin and vasopressin affect humans. This research is still ongoing today.
Awards and Recognition
Dr. Carter is a Fellow and a past President of the International Behavioral Neuroscience Society. She has also received the Matthew J. Wayner-NNOXe Pharmaceuticals Award. This award honors her important contributions to the field of behavioral neuroscience.
Key Publications and Books
Dr. Carter has written many important scientific papers and books. These publications share her discoveries with other scientists. They cover topics like:
- How prairie voles form bonds.
- The brain science of social connections.
- How oxytocin affects development.
- The role of hormones in social behavior.
- The link between hormones and mental health conditions.
Her work has helped shape our understanding of how biology influences social life.
See also
- Biological psychology
- Psychiatry
- Neuroendocrinology
- Neuropeptides
- Neuroscience
- Love
- Evolution
- Social cognition
- Social Neuroscience
