Biological- The Role Of The Amygdala

Question 1

Where is the amygdala located?

Answer 1

Medial temporal lobe
And it’s a part of the lymbic system

Question 2

What does the amygdala do?

Answer 2

Influences behaviour involved in emotions and motivation
It plays a major role in how we perceive and responds to threats in the environment

Question 3

Amygdala and aggression what is IED?

Answer 3

Intermission explosive disorder

Question 4

Amygdala and aggression psychologist?

Answer 4

Coccaro

Question 5

Amygdala and aggression- Coccaro 2007?

Answer 5

Studied people with intermittent explosive disorder in comparison to controls
Each participant viewed images of faces whilst using fMRI scans
-P’s with IED showed high levels of amygdala activity when they viewed angry faces in comparison to controls thus demonstrating an association between the amygdala and the processing of aggressive emotions

Question 6

Amygdala and aggression- how does coccaro explain criminal behaviour?

Answer 6

Social cues of aggression are processed differently by the brain in those who have IED
This dysfunction of the brain could explain aggressive tendencies that make them more vulnerable to criminal behaviour

Question 7

Fear conditioning- what is this?

Answer 7

Learning to control aggressive behaviour by parents, nursery workers and teachers

Question 8

A&FC- why can the dysfunction of the amygdala lead to aggressive behaviour?

Answer 8

Person is more aggressive and anti social, more likely to commit crimes, never learned that its not okay as fear conditioning is disrupted

Question 9

A&FC- how can fear conditioning explain criminal behaviour?

Answer 9

Explaining all participants have never learnt what’s right or wrong within their lives so therefore when they are older they may commit crimes as they dont understand severity of consequence

Question 10

A&FC- who is our psychologist?

Answer 10

Gao et al 2010

Question 11

A&FC- gao et al?

Answer 11

A longitudinal study in 1795 at 3 years old and p’s assessed on fear conditioning via getting through tests of physical arousal like sweating through painful notice
-20 years later and the ps with no fear conditioning committed crimes at 23

Question 12

Raine et al- what did he find in the amygdala?

Answer 12

Hemispheric asymmetry in the amygdala function
-Reduced left and greater right activity
- Difference producing unusual emotions responses like lack of fear empathy remorse and guilt

Question 13

Raine et al- explanation of criminal behavior from findings?

Answer 13

Lack of fear not scared of reprocusions
Lack of guilt and remorse so nothing stopping them from committing crimes like murders

Question 14

Evaluation- supporting evidence?

Answer 14

S- One strength
E- Gao et al (in flashcards before) aggression in 3-23
E- Explains crimes as children ultimately never learnet what’s right or wrong so ay commit crimes and not understand the consequence or severity, as amaugla has failed
W- Therefore research shows an association between the role of amygdala and criminal behaviour

Question 15

Evaluation- Other brain areas?

Answer 15

S- One weakness is that there are other brain areas that impact criminality not just amygdala
E- The amygdala does not operate on its own it’s part of a wider system of connected brain structures, orbitofrontal cortex
E- The prefrontal cortex is responsible for our motivation and the inhabitation, Rain found that in the PF cortes there are lower glucose metabolism compared to control group
W- Therefore dysfunction of amygdala on its own may not be enough alone to account for criminal behaviour

Question 16

Evaluation- Biological reductionism?

Answer 16

S- One weakness is that its reductionist
E- This means it is limited down to only one reason on criminal behaviour due to amygdala this is a weakness as we should look at other factors
E- Like environment family life and upbringing
C- However can be positive as can help us narrow down a cure
W- Therefore weakness as to simplistic

Question 17

Evaluation- Biological determinism?

Answer 17

S- One weakness is determinism
E- Due to the fact we have no control over amygdala so can’t control behavior
E- However this could be positive as if we believe there is no cure we can test children in primary schools to see if they don’t have fear conditioning meaning interventions put into place to prevent criminals
W- Therefore a limitation

Question 18

Evaluation- Explaining non violent behaviou?

Answer 18

S- Another weakness is that it doesn’t explain non violent crimes
E- This theory supports violent crimes but ultimately does not explain the non violent crimes that have no regard for facial expressions e.g shoplifting of fraud
C- However good we can explain violent crimes as they are more severe
W- Therefore explains weakness as it leaves us uncertain on why people commit nonviolent crimes

Question 19

Evaluation- conclusion?

Answer 19

Even though there seems to be a lot of evidence to support the role of the amygdala in violent crimes it fails to do so as it does not consider any factors beyond the biological life up bringing
Therefore explanation is said to be incomplete
A more biopsychosocial approach to explain behaviour would provide a more comprehensive understanding of criminal behaviour