Aggression: Neurotransmitters Flashcards
What is the role of serotonin?
Regulates mood and cognition.
How does serotonin explain aggression in relation to the amygdala?
Serotonin reduces aggression by preventing stimulation of the amygdala. Low serotonin levels increases aggression due to reduced inhibition of the amygdala.
How does Mann’s (1990) research relate to serotonin as an explanation of aggression?
He gave 35 ppts a drug to reduce levels of serotonin and gave them a questionnaire to test their level of hostility before and after taking it and found that aggression levels raised in males but not females.
How does Popova’s (2007) research relate to serotonin as an explanation of aggression?
He found that among selectively bread dogs that are docile, they have high levels of serotonin. This shows a link between level of serotonin and aggression.
What is the role of dopamine?
It makes someone feel pleasure and euphoric.
How does dopamine explain aggression?
Increased dopamine can increase aggression.
How does Lavine’s (1997) research relate to dopamine as an explanation of aggression?
He used amphetamines to increase dopamine and found that aggression levels rose too.
How does Ferrari’s (2003) research relate to dopamine and serotonin as an explanation of aggression?
They allowed a rat to fight every day for 10 days by introducing an “intruder rat” into the test rat’s cage. On the 11th day, no intruder rat was introduced however the test rat’s dopamine levels had increased and serotonin levels decreased because it was anticipating a fight in which it needed to be aggressive.
Using the acronym ‘EACH’, evaluate 2 high ‘how’ points.
P - Mann’s (1990) research has high reliability
E - Follows a standardised procedure (e.g. same questions on questionnaire)
E - The study can be easily replicated to test for consistency
P - Ferrari’s (2003) research has high validity
E - Conducted in controlled artificial conditions in which he was able to manipulate the variables of introducing an intruder rat
E - Therefore the researcher can establish cause and effect between the intruder rat increasing dopamine and reducing serotonin levels
Using the acronym ‘EACH’, evaluate 2 low ‘how’ points.
P - Popova’s (2007) research has low generalisability
E - He used dogs as ppts in his research
E - There are differences between animals’ and human brains and so can’t generalise to humans
P - Mann’s (1990) research has low validity
E - Study took place in artificial conditions of measuring hostility with a questionnaire
E - The environment would be unnatural to the ppt and so their behaviour would not reflect that of real life and their answers could have elements of social desirability for men to appear more masculine
Are there any applications?
P - Yes
E - This theory suggests that abnormal brain functioning of neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin caused increased levels of aggression
E - Therefore drug treatments can inhibit dopamine or increase serotonin to reduce risk of offending and so risk to society
Using the acronym ‘EACH’, evaluate 2 low ‘credibility’ points.
P - Reductionist
E - It ignores environmental factors
E - Links between neurotransmitters and aggression offer an insufficient explanation of human aggression because it’s so complex
P - Deterministic
E - It states that abnormal levels of neurotransmitters causes our behaviour without influence from the environment
E - Human behaviour such as a aggression is much more complex than that with both environmental and biological factors combining
