Agression Flashcards
What are the two neural influences in aggression?
- The limbic system
- Serotonin
What is the limbic system?
A system of sub cortical structures in the brain associated with regulating emotional behaviour
What key structures make up the limbic system?
- Amygdala
- Hippocampus
- Hypothalamus
What does the amygdala do?
Evaluates emotional importance of sensory information in the environment and prompting an appropriate response
How is the amygdala implicated in aggression?
Increased activity of the amygdala = higher aggression
What is serotonin?
A neurotransmitter which has inhibitory, calming effects in the brain
How is serotonin implicated in aggression?
Reduced levels= removal of inhibitory effect leading to more impulsive and aggressive behaviour
What is the hormonal influence in aggression
Testosterone
What is the name do the researcher who studies the role of the amygdala in aggression
Gospic
What was Gospics procedure
- ptsps Were given a range of scenarios in a game called ultimatum game and their brains are scanned by fMRI
What did Gospic find
He found that when ptsps rejected unfair offers (aggressive reaction) scans showed a heightened response by the amygdala
- when ptsps were given a benzodiazepine drug (reduces arousal if autonomic system) found that
1: the number of rejections were halved
2. Decreased activity of the amygdala
Who studies the effect on serotonin on aggression
Mann et al
What was Mann et als procedure
Have 35 healthy ptsps dexfenfluramine (reduces serotonin levels)
What did Mann et al find
Found that this drug treatment in makes (not females ) was associate with an increase in hostility and aggression scores in questionnaires
Which two people studied the effect of testosterone on aggression
- Dolan et al
- Dabbs et al
What did Dolan et al find
Found a strong positive correlation between testosterone levels and aggressive behaviour in a sample of 60 offenders in the Uk
What did Dabbs et al do and find
Measured salivary testosterone in violent and non violent criminals
And he found that those with highest testosterone levels had a history of primarily violent crimes Whereas those with lowest levels had committed non violent crimes
What is the MAO-A
An enzyme that regulates the metabolism of serotonin in the brain
What is the MAOA gene
The gene responsible for the activity of the enzyme MAOA in the brain.
What specific gene allele is associated with aggression
MAOA-L
What study reveals the influence of the MAOA gene on aggression
Brunner et al
What did brunner et al find
He found the males in a Dutch family who had a history of impulsively aggressive behaviour had abnormally low levels of MAOA and the low activity version of the MAOA gene
What is the difference between monozygotic and dizygotic twins
Mz scare 100% of DNA whereas DZ twins share 50% of their genes
Which twin study reveals the influence of genes on aggression
Coccaro et al
what did Coccaro et al find?
he found that the concordance rate of physical assault for DZ twins is 19%, for MZ twins is 50%
the concordance rate for verbal aggression in MZ twins is 28% and for DZ twins 7%
which adoption study reveals the influence of genes in aggression?
hatchings and medrick
what did hatching and medrick find
significant number of adopted boys in Denmark with criminal convictions had biological parents with convictions of criminal violence
what is the ethological explanation?
Seeks to understand the innate and adaptive value of
behaviour in animals by studying them in their
natural environments
what is a sign stimulus
A specific stimulus which triggers the innate releasing
mechanism
What is an innate releasing
mechanism (IRM)?
A neural network which is activated by an external
stimulus (sign stimulus) which in turn triggers a fixed
action pattern of behaviours associated with that
stimulus
What is a fixed action pattern
(FAP)?
A sequence of stereotyped, pre-programmed
behaviours triggered by an innate releasing
mechanism (IRM) and which do not require learning
What is ritualistic aggression?
Aggressiveness being ritualised (series of behaviours
carried out in a set order) in the form of threat
displays- e.g. teeth baring, displaying claws.
What is evidence for fixed action
patterns?
Tinbergen (1951) → presence of another male
stickleback with sign stimulus of red underbelly
activated an IRM - caused male to release FAP of
aggression towards other male
what is the evolutionary explanation for aggression?
the belief that aggression has evolved because it solved challenges faced by our distant ancestors and so became more widespread in the gene pool, through the process of natural selection
what is cuckoldry?
the fear in men that they may be raising another mans offspring and so investing resources in offspring that are not their own genetic makesup
what is sexual jealousy?
an adoption evolved in males to deal with paternal uncertainty
what are mate retention strategies
Violent strategies driven by sexual jealousy which aim to prevent the
female from mating with other males (e.g. direct-guarding and negative
inducements).
What is direct-guarding?
Restricting the female’s freedom to prevent males from gaining access.
E.g. checking who they’ve been seeing, installing tracking apps on their
mobiles etc.
What are negative inducements?
Issuing aggressive threats regarding potential infidelity. E.g. ‘I will kill
myself if you leave me’.
What is the evolutionary explanation
for bullying?
Male bullying is adaptive because it signals desirable characteristics for
females (e.g. dominance) and so increasing chances of sexual
reproduction.
Female bullying is adaptive as they use bullying behaviour to secure
partner’s fidelity so they will continue to provide resources for future
offspring= enhanced reproductive success.
What are social psychological explanations of
aggression?
A theory that argues aggression is the result of an interaction
between an individual’s characteristics and features of the
situation in which behaviour occurs
What is the frustration-aggression hypothesis?
Sees aggression being the consequence of frustration
What is frustration?
Feelings which occur when we are prevented from achieving our goals
What is catharsis?
A form of emotional release by engaging in aggressive behaviour or aggressive thoughts about the target which caused their frustration
What is displaced aggression?
When aggression is displaced from the source of the frustration on to someone or something else.
What are the role of environmental cues?
Frustration creates a readiness for aggression, but it is the cues in the environment which make us more likely to act upon it.
What are two research studies related to the
frustration-aggression hypothesis
- Geen (1968)= Jigsaw puzzle and then electric shocks
- Berkowitz and LePage (1967)= Electric shocks- presence or absence of guns
What is the social learning theory for aggression?
Learning how to be aggressive through observing others and
imitating aggressive behaviours that are seen to be rewarded
(vicarious reinforcement)
What role do the mediational processes play in
aggression?
children form mental representations of events in social situations and they will develop expectations of future outcomes. These influence whether aggressive behaviour is imitated or not.
What are the 4 mediational processes?
Attention, retention, reproduction and motivation
What is self-efficacy in relation to aggression?
The extent to which we believe our actions will achieve a desired goal→ a child’s confidence in their ability to be aggressive grows as they learn that aggression can bring rewards.
What study shows support for the social learning
theory of aggression?
Bandura et al.
What is de-individuation?
A psychological state in which an individual loses their personal identity and takes on the identity of the social group.
Which key factors plays a role in de-individuation leading to aggression?
- Anonymity (wearing a uniform)
- Altered consciousness (alcohol, drugs)
- Diffusion of responsibility- responsibility for the action is
spread amongst the group members= more likely to be
aggressive as don’t feel personally responsible for actions
What are the two types of selfawareness?
- Private self-awareness- how we pay attention our own feelings
- Public self-awareness- how much we care about what other people think of our behaviour
Why do these types of selfawareness decrease when in crowds?
- Private self-awareness- we pay less attention to our own feelings because we experience less
responsibility for our own actions (DIFFUSION OF RESPONSIBILITY)
2.Public self-awareness- we care less about what other people think when in crowds as we are less easily identified (ANONYMOUS)
What are two studies which show the influence of de-individuation on aggressive behaviour?
- Zimbardo’s Stanford Prison Experiment (1972)
- Zimbardo (1969)
What is institutional aggression?
Aggressive or violent behaviour that takes place within the context
of a formal organised setting, e.g. prison
What is meant by a dispositional explanation?
Highlights the cause of a behaviour as being due to the characteristics of the individual (their disposition) rather than any aspect of the situation.
What is meant by a situational explanation?
Highlights the cause of a behaviour as being due to the context in which it occurs rather than the characteristics of the individual.
What is a dispositional explanation for institutional
aggression?
the importation model
What is the importation model (Irwin and Cressey,
1962)?
When prisoners’ violent pasts and experiences are ‘imported’ into the prison causing aggressive behaviour- prisoners do not enter the prison as ‘blank slates’ ➔ Influences their use of aggression to establish power, status, influence and access to resources
What is a research study which shows support for the importation model?
DeLisi et al.
What is a situational explanation for institutional
aggression?
the deprivation model
What is the deprivation model
Prisoners act more aggressively in response to the oppressive conditions of the prison (e.g. Psychological= deprived of freedom, independence sexual intimacy and physical=, services and good) ➔ Deprivation leads to frustration and lack of stimulation- use aggression as a means of coping
What is a research study which shows support for the deprivation model?
steiner
