Aggression: Brain Structure - Evaluation Flashcards
C > Does evidence from Raine have generalisability?
He only used 41 murderers pleading not guilty by reason of insanity, meaning it can’t be generalised to the general population or even other criminals.
C > Was Raine’s study high in credibility?
He used a lab experiment that took place in a controlled environment and used PET scans, meaning the results are objective as brain scans are interpreted by many people in the same way.
C > Does the Phineas Gage case study have experimental evidence?
The Phineas Gage case study lacks experimental evidene, therefore we can’t establish cause and effect.
C > A lot of the research lacks generalisability
E.g; Hess used cats in her research and although there are similarities in brain structure between humans and animals, our brain processes are much more complex. In animals, aggressive behaviours may be more of a reflex and animals do not abide by moral and criminal laws like humans.
Although some animals may share the same basic brain structure, animals do not have the same pre-frontal cortex as it is smaller, thus there are differences such as language skills, reasoning and problem solving.
D > Are there alternative theories of aggression?
Social learning theory suggests that any behaviour (e.g. aggression) is learned through observation and imitation of role models, therefore the biological explanation ignores the role of the environment and role models.
+ > Brain scanning takes place in a laboratory, thus making research using them…
…scientific/reliable/credible/objective.
+ > Validity? Cause and effect?
There is no scientific/experimental evidence, therefore we can’t establish cause and effect.
+ > Reductionist?
Studying brain areas in relation to aggression is reductionist because it ignores other factors/influences, such as the role of the environment, which reduces validity. However it is precise, reliable and scientific.
