Aggression summary points

Question 1

Neural and hormonal factors in aggression

Answer 1

AO1
- Limbic system - amygdala is linked to aggression
- Virkunen - 5-HIAA
- Dolan et al 60 prisoners testosterone
- Negative correlation between progesterone and aggression
AO3
- Gospic et al - OFC
- Gospic et al - fMRI scans and benzos
- Berman electric shocks - paroxetine
- Wagner - castrated mice
- Carre and Mehta - low cortisol

Question 2

Genetic factors in aggression

Answer 2

AO1
- Coccaro et al 50% MZ and 19% DZ - PA and 28% MZ and 7% - VA
- Rhee and Waldman - 41% adoptees
- MAOA-L
- Frazzetto - interactionist approach
AO3
- Brunner et al 28 Dutch men
- Virkkunen conflicting evidence serotonin
- Reductionist (only 50% in MZ)

Question 3

Ethological explanations of aggression

Answer 3

AO1
- Aggression is innate, adaptive and promotes survival
- display aggression
- IRM - hard wired brain network which respond to specific stimuli by initiating a FAP (a set sequence of behaviours)
- Universal, ballistic, stereotyped, single purpose and specific stimuli
- Appeasement signs
- Stickleback
AO3
- Goodall - chimpanzees
- Sticklebacks
- FAP not fixed. Modal action patterns

Question 4

Evolutionary explanation of aggression

Answer 4

AO1
- Male sexual jealousy is an innate function which prevents cuckoldry
- Wilson and Daly - direct guarding and negative inducements
- Physical violence - those that experienced mate retention strategies - 73% medical attention and 53% - feared for her life
- Volk - dominance is attractive and natural selection
- Females bully in relationships to prevent infidelity and secure resources for their offspring
AO3
- Explains differences between men and women
- Thomas - Kung San but Lee said there’s bias and high rates of homocide
- Real world application for bullying - addressing inferiority
- Socially sensitive and reductionist, excuses domestic violence

Question 5

Frustration aggression theory

Answer 5

AO1
- Frustration always causes aggression and aggression is always caused by frustration
- Letting it out is cathartic
- abstract, too powerful or unavailable
- Berkowitz - weapon effect - electric shocks (6.07 and 4.67)
- Geen uni students jigsaw, impossible to solve, ran out of time because of a confederate and confederate insults, electric shocks
AO3
Newhall et al - meta analysis 49, innocent party
Bushman - punchbag
Aggression not always caused by frustration
Idiographic and nomothetic
real world application for gun control

Question 6

Social learning theory of aggression AO3

Answer 6

Poulin and Bolvin - boys aged 9-12 mutually reinforce but not reactive aggression
real world application
underestimates biological factors
lab based study doesnt reflect mundane realism