biological content

Question 1

list the 4 hormones that can influence aggression

Answer 1

cortisol, adrenaline, serotonin, testosterone

Question 2

how does cortisol impact aggression

Answer 2

cortisol is released when stressed to make you less stressed. when cortisol is high the level of testosterone reduces } cortisol inhibits aggression

Question 3

how does adrenaline impact aggression

Answer 3

associated with fight or flight, when in a stressful/ threatening situation you either fight or flight } when you fight aggression increases

Question 4

how does serotonin impact aggression

Answer 4

it regulates response to external stimuli } not enough serotonin you may become aggressive

Question 5

how does testosterone generally impact aggression

Answer 5

testosterone is an androgen, so naturally males will have more than females } males are more aggressive

Question 6

how does testosterone impact brain structure and therefore aggression

Answer 6

testosterone stimulates cell growthin amygdala and hypothalamus } larger amygdala more emotions and therefore more aggressive

Question 7

how does testosterone impact action potential and therefore aggression

Answer 7

it shortens the refractory period and lowers activation energy in amygdala } more a.p. can happen so may act on emotional impulses more so therefore more aggressive

Question 8

what are hormones

Answer 8

chemical messengers that transmit info around the body, carried in blood, operate all over body, take longer to work but provide long term changes

Question 9

what is the function of hormones

Answer 9

regulate mood and stress

Question 10

how do hormones work

Answer 10

bind to receptor proteins and changes cell functions

Question 11

what is the endocrine system

Answer 11

the hypothalamus, pituitary , thyroid, kidney glands that produce hormones

Question 12

what are the strengths of the hormone explanation

Answer 12

T : hormones can be empirically and objectively tested -> this would make this explanation more credible.
S : Beeman - castrated male mice and found aggression to be reduced - shows there is a correlation between testosterone and aggression

Question 13

what are the weaknesses of the hormone explanation

Answer 13

C : mazur - playing a non aggressive game such as tennis or chess increased testosterone in winners and decreased in losers, testosterone seems to be more about success
T : no cause and effect as we don’t know if aggression causes increased testosterone or if testosterone causes aggression
reductionist as it ignores other explanations such as upbringing in SLT it says we learn through observing makes this theory less credible.

Question 14

according to evolution why are males aggressive

Answer 14

• defending against attack
• status and power
• inflict cost on same sex rival
• territory and resources
• deter rivals
• deter partner from infidelity

Question 15

according to evolution why are males aggressive - defending against attack

Answer 15

more likely to survive attack - so can live longer and pass on genes to offspring

Question 16

according to evolution why are males aggressive - status and power

Answer 16

less likely to be challenged by others - will remain more powerful

Question 17

according to evolution why are males aggressive - inflict cost on same sex rivals

Answer 17

attack/take resources from other males so females will choose you

Question 18

according to evolution why are males aggressive - deter rivals

Answer 18

deter other males from stealing your female

Question 19

according to evolution why are males aggressive - territory and resources

Answer 19

more aggressive - more able to provide food and shelter for your offspring who will be more likely to reproduce

Question 20

according to evolution why are males aggressive - deter partner from infidelity

Answer 20

stop female from being with any other males -> parental investment : male needs to make sure that child he is investing his resources benefits his genes

Question 21

according to evolution why are females aggressive

Answer 21

• cost of aggression exceed the benefits
• mothers presence is more critical to offspring survival
• BUT low risk indirect strategies such as gossip decreases attractiveness of opposing female

Question 22

what is evolution and how does it occur

Answer 22

• the gradual change of a species over time / generation
• genes are passed from one generation to the next
• genes are mixed from both parents
• some genes may change due to mutation this brings variation
• if that variation is beneficial t survival then that characteristic gets passed on

Question 23

strengths of evolution and aggression

Answer 23

S : daly and wilson -> aggression today is still a result of the evolutionary reasons so the theory is more valid
S : miller -> supports that aggression is used to deter from infidelity

Question 24

weaknesses of evolution and aggression

Answer 24

C : cultures have different views on aggression as some require it for status etc. conflicts because it cant be evolutionary as its not the same for everyone
O : theories such as hormone/ brain structure may be better as you can test empirically whereas evolutionary cannot be tested makes it less valid
R : reductionist as it ignores individuals who dont want children and homosexuals cant explain aggression in everyone
R : deterministic as it assumes everyone will be aggressive in order to reproduce
T : evolutionary theories are post hoc -> the theory makes sense but cant be tested empirically as it was a long time ago this makes it less valid as theres no way of knowing why we are aggressive

Question 25

name the parts of your personality according to freud

Answer 25

catharsis, id, thanatos, super ego, ego, eros

Question 26

what is your id

Answer 26

instinctive 'pleasure' principle present from birth

Question 27

what is your ego

Answer 27

logical principle -> listens to id and super ego a rational way of behaving

Question 28

what is your super ego

Answer 28

morality principle -> learn right and wrong

Question 29

what is thanatos and eros

Answer 29

thanatos -> death instinct eros -> life instinct

Question 30

what is catharsis

Answer 30

do something that releases aggression -> defence mechanism used to displace aggression

Question 31

how does thanatos link to aggression

Answer 31

you have a drive called thanatos which is the source of frustration within you, it is the death instinct which drives you to be destructive.

Question 32

how does id link to aggression

Answer 32

in the case of aggression it would like to give in to aggressive impulses. aggression can also be caused by displacement of its desires if it doesn't get what it wants then it gets aggressive

Question 33

how does super ego link to aggression

Answer 33

tries to control aggressive impulses, you get this from your relationship with your parents at a young age and would be the thing that stops you acting aggressive

Question 34

how does ego link to aggression

Answer 34

balances super ego and id one of these ways is by defence mechanisms like catharsis

Question 35

strengths of psychodynamic

Answer 35

S : andrews and bonta- youths with weak egos are immature and easily led into crimes by peers -> supports because egos are the mid ground so weak egos cause less rational behaviours U : useful for reducing aggression through catharsis -> can provide safe ways to release aggression in a rational way O : psychodynamic includes biological and environmental factors (born with id, learn morals) -> more holistic

Question 36

weakness of psychodynamic

Answer 36

C : bushman - those who took part in cathartic activity were more aggressive than those who didn't -> conflicts as catharsis is supposed to release anger O : biological may be better as data is empirical as you can see brain and hormones etc. -> more valid T : cannot measure personality empirically, not objective -> no way of proving they exist - less valid theory of aggression

Question 37

what is the midbrain and how does it link to aggression

Answer 37

- links all part of limbic system - plays a role in coordinating behavioural response to perceived internal and external threat and pain - since it plays a role in coordinating if damaged it may make you aggressive

Question 38

what is the amygdala and how does it link to aggression

Answer 38

- controls emotion and motivation - uses internal and external stimuli to react to the environment - linked to prefrontal cortex - overactive or damaged amygdala - less control over emotions may increase aggression

Question 38

what is the hypothalamus and how does it link to aggression

Answer 38

- internal thermostat - responsible for homeostasis and your hormones - these hormones regulate things like sexual functioning, pain, emotion and importantly it is linked to production of testosterone

Question 39

what is the prefrontal cortex and how does it link to aggression

Answer 39

- governs social interaction and regulation of behaviour - damaged/undeveloped/smaller PFC are less able to control their behaviour and emotions - teenagers -> PFC isnt fully developed

Question 40

strengths of brain explanation of aggression

Answer 40

S - Raine NGRI murderers had a higher activity in right amygdala and lower in PFC - supports as less control over aggression as more activity in amygdala and less impulse control T - we can use brain scans to study areas of the brain which is standardised and empirical - reliable and repeatable S - Kulver-Bucy syndrome found there was a taming effect when removing temporal lobe and therefore destroying the amygdala this supports as it shows amygdala is where aggression stems from

Question 41

weaknesses of brain explanation of aggression

Answer 41

- reductionist as it ignores all other factors that may affect aggression e.g. peers etc - deterministic as it assumes everyones brains develop in the same way and assumes everyone with a certain type of brain damage will become aggressive O - social learning theory is an alternative theory which suggests that we learn our aggression through observing if this is correct it lowers the validity of this study