Criminal behavior Biological exp 2 Flashcards
What is the role of the amygdala?
The amygdala affects aggression in criminal behaviour.
a) proactive aggression - cold blooded and premeditated.
b) reactive aggression- anger triggered by a physiological cause.
Structure and function of the amygdala?
Is made of grey matter and part of the limbic center. It was first linked to emotion by James Papez in 1937.
It is highly connected to other parts of the brain like the prefrontal cortex. It pays a major role on how we assess and respond to environmental threats.
Intermittent explosive disorder and aggression?
Coccaro et al (2007) put a control group and people with intermittent explosive disorder was shown images while having an fMRI scan.
People with IED had high levels of amygdala when show an angry face. This confirms the link between processing aggression and the amygdala.
The study had high levels of realism because an angry face is an everyday sign of threat.
The amygdala and fear conditioning?
Yu Gao (2010) suggested that amygdala dysfunction has an effect on aggression and criminal behaviour. He said we learn as children to suppress aggressive and antisocial behaviour through fear conditioning.
If a child has amygdala dysfunction it cannot process fear. This means fear conditioning wont work. This causes people with amygdala dysfunction to appear fearless.
Longitudinal study on fear conditioning?
In 1795 participants were tested for fear conditioning through psychological arousal (sweating in response to a loud noise).
20 years later participants that had become criminals had no fear response at three years old.
Psychopathy and criminal behaviour?
Glenn (2007) studies 17 participants by doing an MRI while making judgments on emotional and moral dilemmas. They found a link between psychopathy and reduced amygdala dysfunction.
