Aggression: Hormones

Question 1

What are hormones?

Answer 1

• chemical messengers
• travel in the blood
• slower than neurotransmitters
• affect metabolism, mood, reproduction and sexual function

Question 2

Adrenaline and noradrenaline: Where is it released from?

Answer 2

adrenal gland

Question 3

Adrenaline and noradrenaline: What does it prepare the body for?

Answer 3

• provides the body with energy for fight or flight

Question 4

Adrenaline and noradrenaline: Haller and Kruk (2003)

Answer 4

• the two hormones are influenced by the limbic system
• they lead to aggression in terms of stressors
• intense/long term stressors can lead to aggression

Question 5

Testosterone: Which sex is more aggressive? Give statistics.

Answer 5

• males
• men commit 50-70% of all violent crime
• Raine found 5% of males were characterised by antisocial behaviours

Question 6

Testosterone: When does crime rise in humans and what might account for this?

Answer 6

• early to mid teens

- this is when testosterone levels are increased

Question 7

Testosterone: Kalat (1998)

Answer 7

• measured 15-25 y/o males

- those with highest testosterone levels showed highest aggression (crime stats)

Question 8

Testosterone: Dabbs et al (1987)

Answer 8

• saliva tests to measure testosterone
• 89 male prisoners (some violent, some not)
• violent: higher testosterone levels
• rated as tough by peers

Question 9

Testosterone: What are the findings from castrated non-humans?

Answer 9

• castrated male rodents
• least aggressive due to drop in testosterone
• injected with T, aggression increased

Question 10

Cortisol: What is it? Why is it released?

Answer 10

• steroid hormone
• produced by adrenal gland
• in response to stress
• also called stress hormone

Question 11

Cortisol: Barzman et al (2013)

Answer 11

• 17 boys, aged 7-9
• measuring cortisol in saliva
• aggression measured in 2 rating scales
• positive correlation between cortisol and aggression

Question 12

Corticosterone: Compare to cortisol.

Answer 12

• similar structure

- different hormone

Question 13

Corticosterone: Adelson (2004)

Answer 13

• raised stimulation of aggression control centre in the brain went with raised stress hormones
• lowered stimulation went with lower level of stress hormone
• in humans: this could explain why stress can lead to aggression and vice versa

Question 14

Corticosterone: Similar study to Adelson (2004)?

Answer 14

• same hypothesis
• removed rat’s adrenal gland so stress hormones wouldn’t be released
• injected rat with corticosterone
• immediate effect: attack response given by stimulating hypothalamus
• conclusion: stress hormone lowers reluctance for aggression by stimulating an attack response in the brain