Hormones for explaining Human Aggression:

Question 1

Hormones and Aggression:

Answer 1

Critical to fight and flight response, help respond to threat.

Question 2

Testosterone and Aggression:

Answer 2

Males more Aggressive. Competitive Aggression. Increase social dominance.

Question 3

Cortisol and Aggression:

Answer 3

Dual-Hormone hypothesis. High levels of aggression are often displayed only when cortisol is low and testosterone is high.

Question 4

Supporting Evidence: Testosterone: Kleinsmith:

Answer 4

I: Found males who interacted with a
gun showed significantly greater
increases in testosterone and
added more hot sauce to water
they thought another would drink,
than those who interacted with
the children’s toy.
J: This provides supporting evidence for a positive relationship between increasing testosterone in the bloodstream and aggressive behaviour.

Question 5

Supporting Evidence: Cortisol: Burnett:

Answer 5

I: Found that boys who had
lower levels of cortisol in their saliva were three times more
aggressive than boys with higher levels of cortisol.
J: This supports the dual hormone hypothesis that
high levels of cortisol blocks the influence of testosterone on
aggression and is therefore a credible and accurate explanation
of why aggressive behaviour occurs within individuals.

Question 6

Critical Evidence: Testosterone: Eiseneggar:

Answer 6

I: Found that when giving
females from the general
population a dose of testosterone,
they behaved more generously and
more sociably.
J: This suggests that
there is not a positive relationship
between testosterone and
aggression in women, as there is in
men. Therefore, indicating that
hormones are not a full and
credible explanation of aggression
in women.

Question 7

Critical Evidence: Cortisol: Shaol:

Answer 7

I: Found that increased aggressive behaviour in adolescents with low cortisol may be strongly associated with a lack of self–control than with a specifically ‘aggressive
personality’.
J: This suggests that the dual
hormone hypothesis is not a full and
accurate explanation of aggression as it ignores other biological factors such as lower activity in the pre – frontal cortex which reduces self- control within the individual.

Question 8

Critical Evidence: Bandura:

Answer 8

I: Shown that children will observe and imitate aggression towards a bobo–doll after observing a role model.
J: This evidence
suggests that hormonal
explanations for aggression are not
fully accurate and credible, as it
ignores social learning and the
impact that a child’s observations
of role models can have on their
aggression levels