Aggression Flashcards
What are the 5 biological explanations for aggression?
The lambic system has malfunctioned Low serotonin High testosterone Mutations in the MAO-A gene It's inherited
What is the function of the limbic system?
Function of processing emotion
Why do too low levels of serotonin lead to aggression?
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter important in mood regulation
Too low levels of serotonin cause irritability
Low levels of serotonin weakens connections between the pre frontal cortex and the amygdaloid so more likely to act on angry feelings when levels become higher
Evaluate the serotonin theory
Individual differences
Deterministic
Situational factors influence the impact
Led to treatment
Evaluate the testosterone theory
Does raise competitiveness but not aggression directly
Many different types of aggression
Aggression levels not always higher in men than women
Deterministic
Socially sensitive
Why do mutations in the MAO-A gene lead to aggression?
Mutations in the MAO-A gene leads to aggression as it breaks down serotonin and dopamine usually. The build up of neurotransmitters make people vulnerable to aggression.
Evaluate the genetic explanation for aggression
Deterministic
Socially sensitive
Practical applications - in order to breed an aggressive dog use male and female which appear aggressive
Name a social psychological explanation for aggression
The social learning theory
What 4 factors lead to social learning?
Attention
Remember
Ability to replicate
Motivation
Evaluate social learning theory
Good-
Lots of research
Can explain individual differences of levels of aggression
Bad-
Cannot explain who will or won’t be aggressive
Overly simplistic
Ignores other factors such as biology
What is ethology?
Ethology is the study of animals
What does the ethological explanation involve?
Innate releasing mechanisms
Sign stimulus
Fixed action patterns
What are innate releasing mechanisms ?
Innate releasing mechanisms are specific neural circuits hardwired into the brain which monitor the drive to release aggression
What is a sign stimulus?
The aggression will be release when sign stimuli are present
What is a fixed action pattern?
The aggression can be released by fixed action patterns. Fixed action patterns are standardised across species
Evaluate ethnological explanations
- aggression is seen in nearly all species so is likely to be innate
- generalising from animals to humans is problematic
- not all humans are aggressive
- unethical to study animals
What are the two explanations for institutional aggression?
Dispositional explanation - importation model
Situational explanation - deprivation model
What is the importation model/ dispositional explanation?
Violence within institutions is a result of people bringing it in from their previous lives.
People not only bring it in their biological make up but they bring it in their learned behaviour
What is the deprivation model ?
It suggests that it is the conditions in the prison itself which causes aggression
Sykes –
Deprivation of goods and services
Deprivation of freedom
Deprivation of autonomy
Deprivation of heterosexual relationships
Deprivation of security
Evaluate the importation model
- this theory can be used as a way of predicting offenders in prison
- doesn’t provide any implications as how to prevent prison violence
Evaluate the deprivation model
- less deterministic
- violence is not occurring on a regular basis but environment is constant
What is the popcorn model?
It is a mix of importation and deprivation
Institutional aggression needs people with the potential to explode but this will only happen if situational heat is applied
What are 3 explanations for media aggression?
Desensitisation
Disinhibition
Cognitive priming
What is desensitisation?
Once you have been exposed to something for a long period of time you will end up becoming less affected or shocked by it
