hormones and aggression

Question 1

what is a hormone

Answer 1

bodys chemical messengers and part of endocrine system
travel in bloodstream to tissues and organs

Question 2

how do hormones work

Answer 2

binding to receptor proteins in target cells
cells respond in a particular way
affect behaviour and cause physical change

Question 3

how does cortisol link to aggression

Answer 3

low level mean a person autonomic NS in under aroused, aggressive behaviour an atempt to create a stressful situation which provoke cortisol release
cortisol usually inhibits aggression
produced in adrenal glands to manage stress

Question 4

how does testosterone link to aggression

Answer 4

provide a rise in response to challenges/ threats
down regulates serotonin which will increase aggression by decreasing activity in pre frontal cortex
prefrontal cortex responsible for impulse inhibition
serotonin is only linked tp escalated aggression

Question 5

evaluate hormones and aggression

Answer 5

+ Pabbd measure testosterone in 89 male prisoners including non violent and violent crime, higher in violent crime
+ young found that injecting pregnant female monkeys with testosterone made females offspring more aggressive
- cant be generalised, brain locations different
- reductionist, many factors involved in aggression
+ barzman doundrelation of cortisol levels and aggression, repeated to check validity