Aggression AO3s Flashcards
Neural and hormonal mechanisms in aggression
Role of other brain structures
Coccaro et al
Amygdala doesn’t operate in isolation in determining aggression
It appears to work in tandem with the orbitofrontal cortex which is not part of the limbic system
The OFC is thought to be involved in self-control, impulse regulation and inhibition of aggressive behaviour
According to Coccaro et al patients with psychiatric disorders that feature aggression, OFC activity is reduced, disrupting its impulse control function resulting in increased aggression
Neural and hormonal mechanisms in aggression
Role of other hormones
Carre and Mehta’s
Carre and Mehta’s duel-hormone hypothesis explain high levels of testosterone only lead to aggressive behaviour when cortisol levels are low
When cortisol is high, testosterone’s influence on aggression is blocked
Cortisol – hormone playing central role in stress response
Combined activity of testosterone + cortisol may be a better predictor of human aggression than either hormone alone
Neural and hormonal mechanisms in aggression
Effects of drugs on serotonin
Bernman et al
Drugs that Increase serotonin activity also reduce levels of aggressive behaviour
Berman et al gave ppts either placebo or paroxetine which enhances serotonin activity
They took part in lab based game in which electric shocks of varying intensities were given + received
Drug group gave fewer shocks than placebo group – link between serotonin and aggression
genetic factors in aggression
research support for MAOA gene
Mertins et al
Mertins et al studied ppts with low-activity and high-activity variants of the MAOA gene in a money-distributing game
Ppts had to decide whether or not they wanted to contribute money which would benefit the group. Males with high-activity variant were more cooperative and made fewer aggressive moves compared to the low-activity males
Genetic factors in aggression
isolating genetic factors
McDermott et al
Challenging to establish how influential genes are in aggression as researchers have difficulty in separating genetic + environmental factors, as seen in G X E interactions
Individual may possess gene for aggression but the behaviour is only expressed if the environmental conditions are favourable
McDermott et al showed ppt with low activity MAOA gene behaved aggressively only when provoked in a lab-based money game
Genetic factors in aggression
multiple gene influences
Vassos et al
The sizes of genetic effects on aggression are statistically significant but are small, meaning there are many genes involved in aggression
Stuart e al showed IPV in men was not only associated with low activity MAOA gene but also a serotonin transporter gene (another gene influencing serotonin activity)
Vassos et al found no single gene was responsible for aggression after a meta-analysis, but calculated hundreds or thousands of them interact in a complex way to determine aggressive behaviour
Media influences - effects of comp games
Experimental studies
Only casual link between media aggression + aggressive behaviour can be established
Measures used to measure aggression in labs are artificial + unrealistic, however It is unethical to allow real aggression between participants/confederates eg hitting each other. Researchers are forced to devise other suitable measures.
Another reason for unrealism is that it does not involve fear of retaliation like it does in the real world, ppts are free to aggress as they see fit
Media influences - effects of comp games
correlational studies
Allows us to investigate realistic forms of aggression
These studies can’t draw cause and effect conclusions. There are no manipulated or controlled variables, nor any random allocation
A positive correlation between playing violent media and aggressive media doesn’t help us choose between two hypothesis of media effects: Socialisation hypothesis – aggressive media makes people aggressive, selection hypothesis – already aggressive people simply choose to use aggressive media.
Media influences - effects of comp games
Longitudinal studies
Researchers use this methodology to investigate changes in aggressive behaviour over time, approach views people as active consumers rather than passive recipients, giving a more realistic view of how people interact with aggressive media
Studies over time leave them vulnerable to effects of confounding variables. Other sources of aggression interact with media influences over time eg role models. Hard to separate what causes the behaviour
Media influences - desensitisation, disinhibition, cognitive priming
Research for cognitive priming
Fisher et al
Looked at priming of aggressive scripts in memory by investigating a neglected form of media violence – songs. Males ppts listened to songs with derogatory lyrics about women. Compared to when they heard neutral lyrics men were more likely to behave more aggressively towards female confederate. Similar results with females
Media influences - desensitisation, disinhibition, cognitive priming
Research support for desensitisation
Krahe et al
Krahe et al showed ppts violent (and non-violent) clips and measured physiological arousal
Ppts who were habitual viewers of violent media showed increased pleasant/decreased anxious arousal levels. These levels were also correlated with them being proactively aggressive in a noise blast task.
Findings confirm findings based on desensitisation. Lower levels of arousal in violent media users reflects desensitisation to effects of violence and a greater willingness to be aggressive
Media influences - desensitisation, disinhibition, cognitive priming
research support for disinhibition
Berkowitz
Berkowitz and Alioto founds ppts who viewed clip depicting violence as vengeance gave higher shocks of a longer duration to confederates
Suggests media violence may disinhibit aggression behaviour when justified. Vengeance is a powerful justification of violence so its socially acceptable
Increases validity of the concept at it demonstrates the link between removal of social constraints and (justified) aggressive behaviour
