Biological Explanation - Role Of Amygdala

Question 1

Role of amygdala

Answer 1

Allow individual to feel fear + perceive fear from people’s face
-important in survival as it is stimulated by threat + danger and avoid it

Question 2

Amygdala + aggression

Answer 2

Coccaro et al - Those with intermittent explosive disorder had higher activity in amygdala when seeing when seeing pictures of angry expression - precieved threat
-IED people have sudden episodes of impulsiveness, aggression, violent behaviour.
-suggest overactive amygdala can produce over active response to threats

Seen in type 1 murderers who lack self control over impulse or terrorist who may feel surge of anger from political movement

Matthies et al - morphomic brain scan in 20 people

People with higher scores in the history of aggression assessment had 16-18% decrease in amygdala volume.
-suggest negative correlation between amygdala and aggression trait

Type 1 murderers lack self control, terrorist also

Question 3

Amygdala + fear conditioning

Answer 3

Yu Gao et al - fear conditioning: children learn to inhibit violent behaviour - associated with punishment.
-amygdala dysfunction = children can’t associate violent behaviours with social cues of fearful or threatening result of action (angry face)
-become overly aggressive, fearless + anti social

Longitudinal study of 1800 people
-age 3 provides fearful stimuli of loud noise, if fearful produce response of sweating
-23 if have criminal behaviour, did not show fear response at 3
-suggest lack of fear conditioning in childhood lead to inability to view consequences of action

Seen in acquisitive criminal who commit burglary + fraud since can’t seen consequences of action

Question 4

Amygdala + ability to sense danger

Answer 4

Feinstein et al - case study on SM with lesions to both amygdala (damage)

-lack ability to feel fear in life threatening or stressful situations
-unknowingly being involved in multiple crimes as a victim
-did not commit crime

Suggest amygdala also cause inability to feel threat or life threatening behaviour in other people

Seen in terrorist who are normal people motivated by a criminal but see no wrong in action

Question 5

A clear causal relationship can be found - evaluation

Answer 5

Many studies on amygdala are longitudinal study = good at finding cause
-Gao et al: suggest no fear conditions in early years lead to criminal behaviour over 20 years

Backed by Pardini et al -
Similar longitudinal study on aggressions + amygdala volume, similar results of lower volume in criminals over 20 years in 56 men. Controlled confounding variable (race, age, iq, etc)
-results are more reliable as a common cause is found

Question 6

Has real life application

Answer 6

Knowing amygdala increase risk of criminal behaviour give ways to early intervention
-Raine: 3 y/o on enrichment programme (teach better nutrition, exercise, cognitive skill) better brain function at 11 + at 23 34% in crime activity.
-olds poor pregnant mother - have regular nurse visit on parenting, health, children less likely to be arrested at 15

By following diathesis stress model, even if someone have amygdala dysfunction, if no dress can’t trigger

Question 7

Not comprehensive enough

Answer 7

Dysfunctional amygdala should not be the only brain abnormality-
Raine et al - murderers with high degree in aggression
-increase glucose metabolism in amygdala (more activity)
-less metabolism in pre-frontal cortex (less empathy + emotional control)
This explanation not credible enough
-abnormal brain structure with criminal behaviour more complex, should not put all blame into amygdala

Question 8

Not ethical

Answer 8

Blame amygdala only
-can be used against in court + rejected by society if found with amygdala dysfunction