Aggression booklet 1: Neural and Hormonal mechanisms

Question 1

Which neural mechanism is a central part of the brain involved in processing emotional responses?

Answer 1

The limbic system

Question 2

What is the amygdala a part of?

Answer 2

The limbic system

Question 3

Research shows that when the amygdala is stimulated…

Answer 3

It creates an aggressive response

Question 4

What could happen if there is an abnormality to do with the amygdala?

Answer 4

The levels of testosterone can be raised, making aggressive behaviour more likely

Question 5

What is the job of the prefrontal cortex?

Answer 5

To mediate the limbic system

Question 6

What would happen if the PFC was damaged?

Answer 6

The PFC can’t inhibit the limbic system / amygdala leading to an increase in aggression

Question 7

What did the study Summer (2007) find?

Answer 7

A 14 year old girl had sever anger issues and was found to have a tumour in the limbic system. After the tumour was treated she returned to normal levels of aggression.

Question 8

What was found in the Kluver and Bucy study?

Answer 8

After removing part of the temporal lobes of rhesus monkeys (destroying the amygdala) their behaviour changed (Kluver-Bucy syndrome) showing a loss of fear and lower aggression levels.

Question 9

Which neural mechanism is a neurotransmitter?

Answer 9

Serotonin

Question 10

What effect does serotonin have on the brain?

Answer 10

An inhibitory effect

Question 11

What does research suggest low levels of serotonin causes?

Answer 11

higher levels of aggression, though other researchers found higher levels of serotonin also cause aggression

Question 12

How does low levels of serotonin affect the Pre Frontal Cortex?

Answer 12

Serotonin is used as communication between the PFC and amygdala. So the PFC struggles to inhibit the amygdala

Question 13

What was found in study - Cherek (1996)?

Answer 13

When men take drugs increasing serotonin, their aggression lowered

Question 14

What are the evaluations of neural mechanisms in aggression?

Answer 14

😍Evidence to support (Delgado)
😍Evidence to support (Lenard)
😞deterministic
😞Reductionist

Question 15

What was found in supporting study - Delgado?

Answer 15

When stimulating the hypothalamus with electric currents, monkeys became more aggressive.

Question 16

What was found in supporting study Lenard (2008)?

Answer 16

49 monkeys living on an island were tested and those with lowest levels of serotonin were more likely to be injured or die young. Higher levels of serotonin were more affectionate and groomed more

Question 17

What hormonal mechanism is involved in aggression?

Answer 17

Testosterone

Question 18

What is testosterone?

Answer 18

The male sex hormone though to influence aggression from young adulthood onwards due to its actions on brain areas involved in controlling aggression

Question 19

What does research suggest higher levels of testosterone cause?

Answer 19

-Higher levels of testosterone lead to increased aggression
-Can be supported by how men are more aggressive than women, as they have 10x more testosterone and get less aggressive and they grow older and lose testosterone

Question 20

How could testosterone be linked to serotonin?

Answer 20

Testosterone acts on serotonin synapses to reduce serotonin transmission, linking the neural and hormonal explanations together

Question 21

What is the main research study into testosterone as a hormonal mechanism in aggression?

Answer 21

Dolan

Question 22

What was found in the study of Dolan?

Answer 22

-Found a positive correlation between testosterone levels and aggressive behaviours in a sample of 60 male offenders in UK maximum security hospitals
-This showed hormonal mechanisms influence aggression as it shows when testosterone levels increase, so does aggressive behaviour (correlation though)

Question 23

What are the evaluations of hormonal mechanisms in aggression?

Answer 23

😂Evidence to support (Dabbs)
😂Evidence from animal studies to support (Beeman)
😢Research could be deemed deterministic
😢Could be seen as reductionist

Question 24

What must be remembered about evaluations in neural/hormonal mechanisms in aggression?

Answer 24

Both the last 2 points of reductionism and determinism can be recycled for either neural or hormonal, and if you’re asked a mixed question then just use both and any research to evidence from your choice

Question 25

What is the nueural explanation, the hormonal explanation and the genetic explanation? (to prevent confusion)

Answer 25

Neural = serotonin and limbic system
Hormonal = testosterone
Genetic = Twin studies and MAOA gene

Question 26

What was found in the study for evidence to support hormonal - Dabbs?

Answer 26

-Measured testosterone levels from saliva of 692 male prisoners
-Found higher testosterone levels in violent offenders (rapists, murderers)
-Lower levels in non-violent offenders (thieves, burglars)

Question 27

What was found in study for evidence to support hormonal - Beeman?

Answer 27

-Castrated male mice and found that aggressiveness reduced
-Later injected mice with testosterone which re-established aggressiveness