Home > Encyclopedia of Psychology > Hypothalamus

A section of the forebrain, connected to other parts of the forebrain and midbrain, that is involved in many complex behaviors.

The hypothalamus, which together with the thalamus makes up the section of the forebrain called the diencephalon, is involved in such aspects of behavior as motivation, emotion, eating, drinking, and sexuality. Lying under the thalamus, the hypothalamus weighs only a fraction of an ounce and is a little larger than the tip of the thumb. It is connected to the autonomic nervous system, and controls...