A - Biological, Neural, Hormonal Flashcards
Explain how neural factors (e.g. brain) can cause aggression
The limbic system is associated with emotional arousal and reasoning, with the amygdala having a key role
The prefrontal cortex, which is associated with conscious planning, is responsible for inhibiting aggressive behaviour, therefore any damage to this area could result in aggressive behaviour
The neural explanation suggest that damage to the brain could cause aggresson
What are neurotransmitters
Chemicals that allow impulses in one area of the brain to be transmitted to the other - therefore influence our behaviour
Explain how dopamine and serotonin could cause aggression
Low levels of serotonin and high levels of dopamine can have an effect on aggressive behaviour
In normal levels, serotonin exerts a calming, inhibiting effect on the body, so with low levels, it makes it harder to control impulsive aggressive behaviour
Explain how the hormones testosterone and cortisol can cause aggression - What did Popma find?
T: one of the androgen hormones which produce male characteristics, females produce it in small amounts, high during puberty = more aggressive
C: produced by the adrenal cortex, important part of the stress reaction
P: found a positive relationship between testosterone and aggression, but only when cortisol levels are low
How do Charles Whitman and Phineas Gage support brain damage causing aggression?
CW: shot 16 people on a uni campus, tumour found in amygdala postmortem
PG: personality was said to have changed and he became more aggressive after a tamping iron went through his prefrontal cortex
What is a problem with using case studies?
They are on very rare individuals and so do not explain aggression in individuals who do not have this type of brain damage
What did Davidson did that supports the neural explanation?
Found that aggressive individuals had lower levels of serotonin than the control group
What is wrong with the neural explanation?
This study/theory is deterministic as they argue that low levels of serotonin must cause aggression
However, it may not be the cause for everyone as most research is only correlational
What did Kyes find that supports the neurotransmitter explanation?
Found that vevret monkeys were more aggressive when their serotonin levels were decreased
What was wrong with Kyes study?
Cannot be generalised to humans who may have more control over their aggressive behaviour
What did Kouri find that supports the hormonal explanation?
Found that those who had been given testosterone, behaved more aggressively than the control group who had been given a placebo
How did Wagner support Kouri’s findings?
Found that the mice who had been castrated and so had lower testosterone levels were less aggressive
