Criminal Behaviour (Role of the Amygdala) Flashcards
What disorder is associated with impulsive, aggressive behavior?
Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED).
What behavior is common in individuals with IED?
Repeated, sudden episodes of impulsive, aggressive, violent behavior.
Are individuals with IED more likely to commit crimes?
Yes, especially violent crimes.
What did Coccaro et al. (2007) study?
The effects of the amygdala on aggression in people with IED using fMRI scans.
What was found in Coccaro et al.’s (2007) study?
People with IED showed high amygdala activity when viewing angry faces.
What role does the amygdala play in aggression?
It triggers increased activity in response to anger and threat cues.
How does fear conditioning relate to aggression?
Children learn to inhibit aggression through fear of punishment.
What happens when fear processing is impaired?
The individual does not associate aggressive behavior with punishment.
What did Gao et al. (2010) find?
Dysfunctional amygdala leads to fearlessness, aggression, and antisocial behavior.
Who is SM and why is she important in fear research?
A woman with damaged amygdalae who could not experience fear.
How did researchers try to induce fear in SM?
By exposing her to snakes, spiders, and haunted houses.
What did SM’s case suggest about the amygdala?
The amygdala is pivotal for triggering fear; damage eliminates fear responses.
What were the effects of SM’s condition on her life?
She lived in poverty, was a crime victim, and had trouble detecting threats.
What method did Gospic et al. (2011) use to study aggression?
The Ultimatum game, with fMRI scans during decision-making.
What did rejection of unfair offers in the Ultimatum game indicate?
Aggressive behavior, linked to heightened amygdala activity.
What did Gospic et al. find about amygdala activity?
Rejection of unfair offers was associated with quicker and more intense amygdala response.
What is a limitation of the amygdala-aggression link?
Unclear what causes initial changes in the amygdala.
Does the amygdala work alone in causing aggression?
Unlikely – other brain regions and hormones are involved.
What did Derntl et al. (2009) find about testosterone?
Higher testosterone improves the amygdala’s threat processing ability.
How does testosterone relate to aggression?
May explain why males, with higher testosterone, commit more violent crimes.
What are methodological concerns in amygdala studies?
Issues of cause and effect, generalizability, and reductionism.
What social factors are overlooked in biological studies of aggression?
The role of society, culture, and shifting crime definitions.
What type of bias may affect amygdala studies?
Gender bias – most studies focus on male aggression.
Why might generalizing amygdala findings be inappropriate?
Because amygdala function may be influenced by hormones like testosterone.
