Evaluations Flashcards
What did Kluver and Bucy (1939) find in their research involving Rhesus monkeys and the limbic system?
Kluver and Bucy (1939) removed the main areas of the limbic system, including the amygdala, hippocampus, and surrounding cortical areas, in Rhesus monkeys. The monkeys displayed an absence of emotional, motor, and vocal reactions associated with fear and anger. Additionally, the lesioned monkeys lost the social understanding of group hierarchies, attempting to fight more dominant and larger group members. This research highlighted the importance of the limbic system in regulating aggressive responses.
How did Wong et al. (1997) use neuroimaging techniques to study the relationship between neural structures and aggressive behavior?
Wong et al. (1997) conducted MRI scans of 19 violent male criminals in Broadmoor hospital and compared the size of the amygdala with 20 ‘normal’ control subjects. They found that the volume of the amygdala was significantly smaller in the violent criminals, supporting the role of the amygdala and limbic system in aggression. However, the study faces concerns about population validity and potential gender bias, as it focused on a small sample of males.
What did Ferrari et al. (2003) discover about the role of serotonin in aggressive behavior based on their research with adult male rats?
Ferrari et al. (2003) allowed adult male rats to fight with another rat for ten days. On the eleventh day, even though the rat wasn’t allowed to fight, researchers found that the rat’s dopamine levels had increased by 65%, and serotonin levels were reduced by 35%. This research suggested a link between changes in brain chemistry, particularly serotonin levels, and aggressive behavior, raising questions about causality
How did Mann et al. (1990) contribute to understanding the role of serotonin and aggression through their research with the drug dexfenfluramine?
Mann et al. (1990) administered dexfenfluramine, a drug that depletes serotonin in the brain, to 35 healthy adults. Following the administration, hostility and aggression levels rose among males but not females, demonstrating a potential gender difference in the physiological factors associated with aggression. This research highlighted the issue of beta bias in neural explanations of aggression.
How did Wagner’s (1979) research contribute to the understanding of the role of testosterone in aggression?
Wagner (1979) conducted research by castrating mice, which led to a decrease in aggression levels. This provided correlational support for the theory that testosterone is implicated in aggression, demonstrating a relationship between lowered testosterone and reduced aggression. While the research only establishes a correlation, it supports the idea that testosterone plays a crucial role in aggressive responses.
