Evaluate Hormones to explain aggressive behaviour (8 marks)

Question 1

STRENGTHS

Answer 1

• A strength is the evidence of testosterone effect in females.
• Marian Hargrove(1997) measure testosterone in the saliva of 87 females inmates of maximum security prisoners. Testosterone correlated with the extent of women’s aggressive dominance within the prison.
• The aggression - testosterone links so often found in male prisoners was replicated in thus study of females increasing the validity of the association.

Question 2

STRENGTHS

Answer 2

• This could lead to practical benefits. For example, if aggression is chemically controlled it should be possible to manufacture a drug that influences the hormone mechanism and reduces aggressive behaviour.
• Barry Maletzky et al 2006 - found that a testosterone lowering drug called bepo- provera reduces levels of sexually aggressive behaviour in some offenders.
• As there is a close link between aggression and some serious crimes anti-testosterone drugs may have positive consequences for individuals, communities and whole societies

Question 3

STRENGTHS

Answer 3

• cortisol alone isn’t throught to increase aggression directly.
• Dabbs et al found that high levels of cortisol inhibit testosterone and thus in turn inhibits aggression.
• So by inhibiting aggression , cortisol can affect aggression levels.

Question 4

STRENGTHS

Answer 4

• animals studies support the link between hormones and aggression.
• Rachel Adelson (2004) used rats as a test as test subjects and used rats as test subjects and used electricity to stimulate the hypothalamus. This led to the release of a stress hormone called corticosterone which is Part of the Aggressive hormone called corticosterone which is part of the aggressive response. If the rats had their adrenal glands and couldn’t produce their own hormones, their aggression faded. However, when they were injected with corticosterone, the hypothalamus triggers the release of hormones.
• This shows a feedback loop I’m aggression; the hypothalamus triggers the release of the hormone but the hormone also activates the hypothalamus. This might explain the phenomenon of rage when aggression spirals out of control.

Question 5

WEAKNESSES

Answer 5

• cannot establish a cause casual relationship.
• for instance elevated testosterone level may be the outcome of aggression or both may be the result of changes in another hormone.

Question 6

WEAKNESSES

Answer 6

• difficult to determine testosterone levels. It is more complex. Psychologists distinguish between baseline ( a persons usual level of testosterone) and fluctuating testosterone.
• Justin Carré et al 2011 argues that baseline testosterone plays a less important role in human aggression in than it does in animals. However is used in human research. (E.g. violent prisoners)
• This means that baseline measures are used in many studies that may not provide a valid indicator of testosterone level in relation to aggression.

Question 7

WEAKNESSES

Answer 7

• There is gender bias - although the research is due to differing natures and effects of testosterone in males and females.
• Although most research has the link has focused on males, studies suggest that the association between testosterone and aggression is hugger for female samples than male ones.
• due to these gender differences, research done on males should not be generalised to females and vice Versa

Question 7

WEAKNESSES

Answer 7

• a criticism of links between hormones and aggression is that it can be described as reductionist.
• for example, research by bandura et al found that social learning be a powerful influence on the aggressive behaviour at children
• The complexity of human behaviour means that biological explanations are insufficient on their own to explain many different aspects of human aggression