Amygdala

Question 1

what is it

Answer 1

almond-shaped structure in the brain
essential to ability to feel certain emotions and perceive them in other people
fear and anxiety

Question 2

where

Answer 2

2, one in each hemisphere, both close to hippocampus in frontal portion of temporal lobe
part of a wider collection of brain structures called limbic system

Question 3

two pathways

Answer 3

sensory stimulus > thalamus > sensory cortex > amygdala > produces emotional response
shorter route is straight from thalamus to amygdala

Question 4

proactive aggression

Answer 4

cold blooded
planned and premeditated

Question 5

reactive aggression

Answer 5

hot blooded
angry and accompanied by physiological arousal

Question 6

why does it have a widespread influence on brain functioning

Answer 6

highly connected and neurally linked to the hypothalamus, hippocampus and prefrontal cortex

Question 7

what behaviours is it linked to

Answer 7

emotion, motivation and social interaction

Question 8

ied

Answer 8

intermittent explosive disorder
a common symptom of which is outbursts of reactive aggression

Question 9

corraro et al (2007)

Answer 9

participants with ied showed high levels of amygdala activity when viewed angry faces - demonstrates an association between amygdala activity and processing aggressive emotions

Question 10

yu gao’s longitudinal study

Answer 10

1795 ppts tested for fear conditioning at age 3
used physiological arousal (sweating) response to painful noise
20 years later found out who involved in criminal behaviour
those committed crimes at 23 showed no fear conditioning at 3
casual relationship between amygdala dysfunction and crime
means child cannot identify social cues that indicate threat and does not link punishment to aggressive behaviour - fear conditioning disrupted - fearless and antisocial

Question 11

ultimatum game - gospic (2011)

Answer 11

lab based
proposer offered to split money fair or unfair (threat) way
responder accepts = split, refuses = nothing
(while undergoing fMRI scans)
rejected unfair - amygdala activity heightened and quicker
sedative given before - reduced aggression and amyg activity
strong evidence of association between reactive aggression and amyg activity

Question 12

longitudinal support - pardini et al (2014)

Answer 12

503 males from earlier study in 1986 (age 6)
20 yrs later chose subgroup of 56 men (aggressive since childhood)
fMRI scans to measure amyg volume
high aggression over 20yrs = lower amyg volume
(persisted in follow up study 3 yrs +)
cannot be explained by confounding variables
evidence of predictive validity of explanation differences in volume predict future behaviour

Question 13

orbitalfrontal cortex

Answer 13

amygdala functions with ofc and prefrontal cortex though to influence self-control, regulate impulsive behaviour and inhibit aggression

Question 14

raine et al (1977)

Answer 14

murderers, reactive aggression, higher glucose metabolism in amygdala, low metabolism in prefrontal cortex
neurology of aggressive behaviour is complex and risks being oversimplified by a focus on just amyg
3 important brain structures: amyg, ofc, neural connections between them

Question 15

indirect effects of amygdala

Answer 15

role in regulating fear and anxiety related behaviours
damage effects ability to process fear + anxiety info normally, social functioning
not direct cause of aggressive behaviour, but a risk factor for it
depends on environmental and bio factors
more complex explanation than conventional theory

Question 16

‘intervene and the earlier the better’ raine

Answer 16

3 yr olds assigned to program on nutrition, exercise and cognitive skills had better brain functioning at 11 and reduced criminal activity at 23 compared to control

Question 17

kent kiehl

Answer 17

looked at brains of 100 males inmates while completing cognitive task
lower anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) = 2x likely to reoffend 4yrs +