hormonal mechanisms

Question 1

what is testosterone responsible for

Answer 1

the development of masculine features

Question 2

what does T help regulate

Answer 2

social behaviour via influence on areas of the brain involved in aggression

Question 3

when are males most aggressive

Answer 3

most aggressive towards other males at 20 when T levels peak

Question 4

what was Simpson’s study on

Answer 4

hormone subtraction and replacement studies

Question 5

what did Simpson find

Answer 5

HRT leads to an increase of aggression levels in castrated species

castration leads to a decrease in aggression

Question 6

what do castration studies on animals show

Answer 6

removing the testes reduces aggression in the males of many species, and giving injections to the same animals restores aggressive behaviour

Question 7

strength of hormonal mechanisms

Answer 7

supporting research from animal studies

Question 8

strength- supporting animal research Giammanco study

Answer 8

review of studies confirms the role of T
- male rhesus monkeys there was in increase in T levels and aggressive behaviour during mating season
- in rats castration reduces T and so did mouse killing behaviour

Question 9

problem with animal studies

Answer 9

although hormonal mechanisms in humans and animals may be similar but aggressive behaviour in humans is more complex
- cognitive factors play a greater role

Question 10

limitation of hormonal mechanisms

Answer 10

dual hormone hypothesis

Question 11

dual hormone hypothesis

Answer 11

mixed evidence of the link between T and aggression in humans
- high levels of T lead to aggressive behaviour but only when cortisol is low
- so cortisol plays central role in the body’s response to chronic stress

combined activity of T and cortisol may be a better predictor of aggression