Aggression L2 Hormonal Mechanisms

Question 1

What is Testosterone?

Answer 1

• The main hormone which decides whether an embryo develops into a male or female
• This male sex hormone is an androgen responsible for the development of masculine features
• It promotes muscle strength and is responsible for the sex

Question 2

How does Testosterone link to Aggression?

Answer 2

It is thought that it influences aggression from young adulthood onwards due to its action in brain areas involved in controlling aggression

Question 3

What did Sapolsky (1998) find?

Answer 3

• Found that research showed removing the source of testosterone in different species had resulted in lower levels of aggression
• Once the normal levels of testosterone were reinstated with injections of synthetic testosterone, normal levels of aggressive behaviour was observed

Question 4

What did Carre and Olmstead find?

Answer 4

• Testosterone levels were not static but fluctuate in accordance with the context of changes in the social environment
• Changes in the level of testosterone influence aggressive behaviour by increasing amygdala reactivity during the processing of a social threat

Question 5

What have other researchers noted about the implication of testosterone in aggression?

Answer 5

• Men are generally more aggressive than women
• Men have higher concentrations of testosterone than women
• When testosterone concentrations in men are at their highest, 21-35, there is an increase in male on male aggressive behaviour

Question 6

What is Progesterone?

Answer 6

• A female ovarian hormone which can help increase mood, acts as a natural antidepressant to lower anxiety
  
  • This hormone is said to play an important role in aggression in women

Question 7

How does Progesterone link to Aggression?

Answer 7

The level of progesterone vary during the ovulation cycle and are lowest during and just after a menstruation

Question 8

What did Zionkiewicz et al find?

Answer 8

• Found a negative correlation between progesterone levels and self-reported aggression
• Suggests that low levels of progesterone are linked to increased aggression in women

Question 9

What are Strengths of Hormonal Mechanisms in Aggression? (2)

Answer 9

• Mice
• Monkeys

Question 10

What are Weaknesses of Hormonal Mechanisms in Aggression? (2)

Answer 10

• Generalising animals to humans
• Correlation not causation

Question 11

Mice (+)

Answer 11

• Castrated mice and aggression levels went down
• This provided support that testosterone is implicated in aggression

Question 12

Monkeys (+)

Answer 12

Found male rhesus monkeys have an increase in both testosterone and aggressive behaviour during mating season