Aggression

Question 1

What are the 2 hormonal mechanism in aggression?

Answer 1

Testosterene and Progesterone

Question 2

What is testosterone?

Answer 2

An androgen responsible for the development of masculine features

Question 3

What is the role of testosterone?

Answer 3

Regulating social behaviour

Question 4

What is the role of progesterone?

Answer 4

Aggression in women
low levels of progesterone have increased aggression in women

Question 5

What enzyme does the MAOA gene produce?

Answer 5

monoamine oxidase A

Question 6

What does the MAOA gene do?

Answer 6

Regulates serotonin

Question 7

What are the 2 neural mechanisms in aggression?

Answer 7

The Limbic system
The Orbitolfrontal cortex and serotonin

Question 8

What 3 parts of the brain is the limbic system made up of?

Answer 8

Amygdala, Hippocampus, Hypothalamus

Question 9

What is serotonin?

Answer 9

A neurotransmitter that regulates mood

Question 10

What study did Dolan et al do between testosterone and aggression?

Answer 10

60 male offenders
past of aggressive impulsive behaviours
positive correlation with testosterone levels and aggression

Question 11

What is the correlation between progesterone and aggression?

Answer 11

Negative correlation

Question 12

What is the correlation between
testosterone and aggression?

Answer 12

Positive correlation

Question 13

What are 2 evaluations of the hormonal mechanisms of aggression? (+-)

Answer 13

+ Evidence from animal studies
- Injecting female rats with T increased mouse-killing behaviour
- Castration of male rats reduced aggressive behaviour during mating season

• Dual Hormone hypothesis
• More than just testosterone linking to aggression
  High T leads to aggression only when cortisol levels are low
  High cortisol, Ts influence on aggression is blocked

Question 14

What are 2 evaluations of the neural mechanisms of aggression? (+-)

Answer 14

• Other brain structures
• not just the limbic system are involved in aggression
• The orbitofrontal cortex also plays a role and that not in the LS

+ Serotonin and drugs
- serotonin increasing drugs reduce aggression
Berman et al - Shocks to responses with a placebo and drug group
Those with drug gave fewer shocks than placebo
Link between serotonin and aggression

Question 15

What are the 4 genetic factors of aggression?

Answer 15

Twin studies
MAOA gene
Adoption studies
Gene x Environment

Question 16

What do twin studies say about genetics in aggression?

Answer 16

MZ twins are more likely to share aggressive behaviours compared to DZ twins as they share 100% of genes

Concordance rates
Direct physical assault - 50%MZ 19%DZ
Verbal aggression - 28%MZ 7%DZ

Question 17

What do adoption studies say about genetics in aggression?

Answer 17

Link between an adopted child and their biological parent

Rhee and Waldman et al -
- meta analysis of adoption studies
- on direct aggression and antisocial behaviour
found variance rates of genetic influence on 41%
(Similar results to twin studies)

Question 18

What does the MAOA say about genetics in aggression?

Answer 18

Regulates the neurotransmitter serotonin in the body, serotonin plays the role of impulsive aggression.
Low levels of the MAOA gene can lead to high levels of aggressive behaviour

Question 19

What was Brunner et al’s study on the MAOA gene in aggression?

Answer 19

• 28 men from a large dutch family who had high levels of aggressive, violent criminal behaviours
• They had abnormally low rates of the enzyme MAOA

Question 20

What does the gene x environment say about genetics in aggression?

Answer 20

Genes can not function in isolation.
It appears the MAOA gene variant activity is only related to adult aggression with early traumatic life experiences.
- Suggesting more of a diathesis - stress mode

Question 21

What was Frazzeto et al’s study on gene x environment in aggression?

Answer 21

• Link between high antisocial aggression and MAOA variant in men who had significant trauma in the first 15 years of their life
• Those with no early childhood trauma did not really have high aggression levels as adults even with the MAOA variant.

Question 22

What are 2 limitations on the genetic explanations of aggression?

Answer 22

Twin studies lack validity
both share the same environment
DZ twins may not share the same environment as much as MZ twins
We just assume they do (Equal environments assumption)
DZ twins may be treated differently in comparison to MZ twins

Mertin et al’s research also showing the environment playing a role (Money distributing game)
participants with variant behaved cooperatively when aware of others were doing the same
Linked to social norms and aggression
Environment influences genetic behaviours, and that the research is reductionist
does not include external factors

Question 23

What is a strength of genetic explanations of aggression?

Answer 23

Mertin et al-
Found more evidence to support the link between the MAOA - L variant and high levels of aggression
Men with high and low levels of MAOA gene took part in a money distributing game
Men with high MAOA variants were more cooperative and made fewer aggressive moves than those with the low MAOA variant.
Supports the relationship between the MAOA gene and aggression giving the explanation increased validity and credibility

Question 24

What are the 4 factors in the ethological explanations of aggression?

Answer 24

• Innate releasing mechanism
• Adaptive function
• Ritualistic aggression
• Fixed action patterns

Question 25

What does it mean by ritualistic aggression?

Answer 25

A series of behaviours carried out in a set order

Question 26

What are innate releasing mechanisms?

Answer 26

hard-wired brain networks that respond to specific
signs by initiating a fixed action pattern, a set sequence of behaviours.

Question 27

What is meant by fixed action patterns?

Answer 27

adaptive sequence of
ritual behaviours that is universal within a species

Question 28

What are the 6 features Lea et al found in FAPs?

Answer 28

• Unchanging behaviours
• Universal behaviour
• Same response by individuals regardless of experiences
• Behaviours can not be altered before it is completed
• Only occurs in a specific situation, single purpose
• Response to a specific sign

Question 29

What was Tinbergen’s procedure into the ethological explanation?

Answer 29

Male sticklebacks are highly territorial during spring mating season, They develop a red spot under their belly

When another male entered their territory a sequence of high stereotypes aggressive behaviours begin

The sign stimulus that triggers the IRM is the sight of the red spot

He presented sticklebacks with a series of wooden models of different shapes

Question 30

What was Tinbergen’s findings into the ethological explanation?

Answer 30

• Regardless of the shape, the red spots formed more aggressive behaviours from the stickleback and even attack it
• When no red spot, there was no aggression even when the model looked like a stickleback

Found that these aggressive FAPs were unchanging

Question 31

What way was adoption studies studied?

Answer 31

Meta-analysis
Adoption studies on direct aggression and anti-social behaviour

Question 32

What are the 2 male retention strategies?

Answer 32

Direct guarding
Negative inducements

Question 33

What are 3 evaluations of the evolutionary explanation of aggression?

Answer 33

Real World Applications to stop bullying

Increases understanding on differences between gender aggression types

However, culture difference and !Kung San people
BUT
research has shown them to have a high homicide rate
(Observer bias)

Question 34

What is self-efficacy?

Answer 34

The extent to which we believe our actions will achieve our desired goals

Question 35

How does self-efficacy link to aggression?

Answer 35

Social Learning Theory
- As a child learns aggression can be rewarded, their confidence in their aggressive ability grows

A child’s SE grows with each successful outcome

Question 36

What does the frustration aggression hypothesis suggest?

Answer 36

All aggression is a result of frustration and frustration is necessary for aggression