eval Neural and hormal mechanism aggression eval?

Question 1

Other brain structures

Answer 1

One limitation of the limbic explanations is more recent research showing that non limbic brain structures are also involved in aggression
Limbic structures function together with the frontal cortex which is not part of the limbic system. The OFC is involved in impose regulation and inhibition of aggressive behaviour. Research has shown OFC activity is reduced in those psychiatric disorders that feature aggression. This reduced activity disrupts the OFC impluse control function which in turn causes aggressive behaviour
This shows that the rural regulation of aggression is more complex than theories focusing on the amygdala suggest

Question 2

Drugs and Serotoninn

Answer 2

One strength of the serotonin explanation is research into the effects of drugs.
Drugs that increase serotonin have been found to also reduce levels of aggressive behaviour. A researcher gave participants either a placebo or a dose of peroxtine. The participants then took part in a lab based game that involved giving and receiving electric shocks in repose to provactaion. The parexine group constantly gave fewer an dless intense shocks than the placebo group
This study is evidence of a causal link between serotonin function and aggression

Question 3

Direct or indirect

Answer 3

There is an argument that neural factors are directly linked to aggression. There is evidence to support this view in Gospic et al.’s (2011) study of amygdala reactivity and benzodiazepines. They found that amygdala reactivity was directly affected by socially aggressive behaviour (rejecting an offer). A benzodiazepine drug also directly reduced both amygdala reactivity and aggression. Serotonin also reduces aggression by inhibiting neuronal activity.

However, the role of neural factors may be indirect. For example, Denson et al. (2012) found a link between serotonin and aggression. But this is an indirect link because other factors (e.g. social, psychological) may influence it. So reduced serotonin does not directly cause aggression – it may cause a disruption of OFC activity which then leads to an increase in impulsive behaviour. Other factors determine whether this impulsive behaviour is aggressive or takes some other form (e.g. social and psychological factors).

Therefore, the evidence that neural mechanisms are related to aggression is reasonably strong, but this relationship is probably not direct.

Question 4

Dual hormone hypotheis

Answer 4

One limitation is mixed evidence of the link between restore and aggression in humans. Researchers developed a dual hormone hypnosis to explain why.
They claim that high levels of testorone lead to a aggressive behaviour but only when levels of coristol are low. When coristol is high testornes influence on aggression is block. The hormone coristol plays a central role in the body’s response to chronic stress. Therefore the combined activity of testosterone and coristol may be a better predictor of aggression than either morhmone alone

Question 5

Eval animal research

Answer 5

Hormonal mechanisms involved in human and animal aggression are likely to be very similar. This is because the majority of structures in the human endocrine system can also be found in, for example, rats (e.g. testes). The same is true of hormones (e.g. testosterone). In fact the research on this spread shows that a lot of what we know about the role of hormones comes from non-human animal studies. For example, Giammanco et al.’s review identifying testosterone as a key factor in the aggressive behaviour of male macaque monkeys in the mating season.

However, aggressive behaviour in humans is more complex than in rats or even monkeys. For example, Carré and Mehta’s findings concerning cortisol applied only to human aggression. Their dual-hormone hypothesis suggests that high cortisol blocks testosterone in humans, reducing aggression. This can explain why the research evidence linking aggression with testosterone in humans is mixed. Also, cognitive factors play a greater role in human aggression, especially in ‘cold-blooded’ proactive aggression. Because this involves using aggression to achieve some goal, it means planning and thinking about the consequences of aggression. Unlike other mammals, a human who uses aggression in this way makes a kind of cost-benefit analysis – weighing up the benefits of getting what you want against the costs of potential injury.

Therefore, animal studies can help us understand hormonal influences on aggression but findings must be treated cautiously because human aggression is more complex.