Aggression Flashcards
Aggression
Behaviour aimed at harming others
Hormones
Chemical releases by our endocrine system that affect how our bodies function and how we behave
Chromosomes
The parts of each cell that carry the genetic information from our parents.
Limbic system
The part of the brain that causes aggressive behaviour
Prefrontal cortex
The very front of the brain. It is involved in social and moral behaviour and controls aggression
Brain disease
Damage to the brain caused by illness or trauma.
Thanatos
The part of our unconscious that causes our aggressive drive
Ego defence mechanisms
Behaviour strategies used by the individual to protect itself
Vicarious learning
Learning by observation
Monitoring
Judging whether our own behaviour is appropriate or not
Punishment
A stimulus that weakens behaviour because it is is unpleasant and we try to avoid it.
PET scan
A technique to show how the brain is working by imaging it while the patient is carrying out a mental task.
Repress
keep our emotions under very tight control and not express how we are feeling
“Bobo” doll
An inflatable doll of about 1.5m tall that is weighed at the bottom. It is designed to jump back up when it is knocked over.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ADHD
A disorder characterised by short attention span, poor concentration and uncontrollable aggressive outbursts.
Ritalin
A drug used to control Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ADHD
Psychosurgery
An operation on the brain to remove or destroy the part that is causing abnormal behaviour.
Catharsis
Aim- the process of getting rid of your emotions by watching other people experiencing emotion.
Curvilinear
A relationship that increases in strength to a point, but then begins to decrease.
Young et al. 1959
Aim- to see what effect hormones have on aggressive behaviour.
Method- young infected pregnant thesis monkeys with testosterone and observed the levels of aggression in their offspring as they matured.
Results- the high levels of testosterone during pregnancy made the females grow up to behave like male monkeys- they engaged in rough-and-tumble play and challenged the males for dominance in their troop.
Conclusion- testosterone does seem to play a vital part in aggressive behaviour.
Raine 1997
Aim- to investigate the brains of murderers.
Method- researchers have 41 murderers in California a PET Scan and conspired them with a similar group of non-murderers.
Results- there were some differences, for example activity in the pre-frontal cortex of the murderers was lower than in non-murderers.
Conclusion- when the pre-frontal cortex (and other parts of the brain) is not working normally, it can lead to people committing violent crimes.
Barker 1941
Aim- to see the effect of frustration on aggressive behaviour.
Method- children were kept waiting a long time before being allowed to play in a room full of toys. Their behaviour was then observed.
Results- the children were more aggressive and destructive than other children who had not been frustrated by being kept waiting.
Conclusion- being frustrated does lead to an increase in aggression xxx
Bandura et al 1963
Aim- to find out if three-to-six-year-old children would imitate the aggressive behaviour they see role models performing towards an inflatable “bobo” doll.
Method- researchers divided 96 children into four groups, three of which were shown someone throwing, kicking and punching the “bobo” doll. Their own behaviour was then observed.
Results- the children who had witnessed the aggressive behaviour showed more aggressive behaviour than the children who had seen none.
Conclusion- children will copy how they see others behave.
Liberty and Baron 1972
Aim- to see if watching violent tv programmes had any effect on aggressive behaviour in children.
Method- one group of children was shown a quite violent tv programme, while another was shown an equally exciting sport event. The two groups were then observed at play.
Results- the group who had watched the violent programme were more aggressive than the group who had watched the sporting programme.
Conclusion- watching violence on tv increases the level of aggression in children’s behaviour.
Charlton et al. 2000
Aim- to see if the introduction of tv (and therefore aggressive role models) to a community would affect the aggressive behaviour of children.
Method- for two years after the island of St. Helen first received tv, the behaviour of the children was monitored.
Results- the children did not show an increase in aggressive behaviour after tv was introduced compared to before it was introduced.
Conclusion- merely watching aggressive role models will not be sufficient to make children copy aggressive behaviour.
Bandura 1965
Aim- to see if observing a role model being punished would reduce the chance of aggression being copied.
Method- children were shown an adult model either being punished or reinforced for acting aggressively.
Results- those children who saw the model being punished were less aggressive themselves than those who saw the model reinforced.
Conclusion- if children see that aggression brings a punishment, they will not copy it.
Huesmann et al. 1983
Aim- to see if teaching children to think more carefully
