Hormonal Mchanisms In Aggression

Question 1

What are the two main hormones implicated in aggression

Answer 1

Testosterone and progesterone 💉💉💉

Question 2

What is the main Hormone that decides whether a baby is male or female

Answer 2

Testosterone - this male sex hormone is an androgen responsible for the development of masculine features. It also promotes muscle strength and is responsible for sex drive

Question 3

What is the implications of testosterone on aggression

Answer 3

It has thought to influence aggression from young adulthood onwards due to its activation in brain areas involved in controlling aggression. Sapolsky summarised in research evidence that removal of test in different species resulted in lower aggression levels and reinstating this test led to the return of aggressive behaviour

Question 4

Where has the idea come from that testosterone is related to aggression

Answer 4

Studies show that men are more aggressive than women and that appears to be due to their increased levels of testosterone compared to women. Additionally when at an age where test is the highest I.e. (25-35) there is an increase in male on male aggression.

Question 5

What did carre and Olmsted claim

Answer 5

That testosterone is not in fixed levels, but varies depending on social environment. Testosterone appear to influence aggression by increasing amygdala reactivity during the processing of social threat

Question 6

What is the role of progesterone

Answer 6

There is evidence that progesterone, a female ovarian hormone, can increase mood. Progesterone acts as a natural antidepressant to lower anxiety and also has implications in aggression. Levels of progesterone may vary during the ovulation cycle and are lowest just after menstruation. Research shows a negative correlation between progesterone levels and aggression. Suggests that low progesterone is responsible for increased aggression in women

Question 7

Strengths

Answer 7

Research support by psychologists to see if test is implicated in aggression - they castrated animals, removing their testes. Aggression went down in mice who had been castrated (Wagner). Providing support that test is responsible in aggression.

Furthermore, Giammanco et al’s (2005) review of studies further confirms the role of testosterone. For example, in male rhesus macaque monkeys, there is an increases in both testosterone levels and aggressive behaviour during the mating season.

Question 8

Weakness

Answer 8

Generalisations of studies involving animals to humans. Additionally Wagners research only provides correlational support for aggression as it only shows relation between aggression and lower test. It does not confirm if test causes aggression