Key Question: Flashcards
What is the Biological Psychology key question?
Discuss the implications for society if
aggression is found to be caused by
nature?
What would happen is aggression was biological? AO1:
Aggression is feelings of anger that can result in violent actions such as attacking without provocation which is an issue if this is biological as it means the individual will not be able to control their anger and could use it as an excuse for crime and not take responsibility for their
actions.
What is the most common consequence of TBI? AO1:
Aggression is one of the most common consequences of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Estimates of TBI aggression range from 11% - to 34% (WHO) which suggests biological factors such as TBI can be used to monitor individuals who are at risk of aggression based on their injury.
What did the centre of mental health find? A01:
The centre for mental health found the costs of TBI in the UK were very high with an average lifetime cost increasing from £155,000 to £345,000 for a young person in the criminal justice system suggesting this is an issue as it is costing the government a lot more money per year for persistent reoffending due to aggression being biological.
What could understanding aggression help with? AO1:
Understanding aggression being biological may help with treatment and prevention of aggression in offenders e.g. could rehabilitate by using drug treatments to control aggressive impulsive behaviour suggesting current methods of imprisonment are not appropriate.
Amygdala: A02:
If the amygdala is
asymmetrical in its
functioning, this can lead to
aggression as it impacts on
emotional responses e.g. if
the right is overactive and
the left is underactive, then
instinctive aggression will
occur as the left can’t control
the right’s impulsivity
supporting nature as a cause
of aggression.
Testosterone: A02:
Testosterone which can
peak during puberty
could explain why males
can be more aggressive
during adolescence
supporting the view
that males are
biologically more
aggressive than females.
Prefrontal Cortex: A02:
Prefrontal cortex is
responsible for decision
making and if damaged it
can cause poor decisions
to be made which can
lead to aggression
without considering the
consequences of it
suggesting that
aggression is due to
innate responses.
Evolution: A02:
Evolution suggests
males have evolved to
be bigger and stronger
to attract a mate to
pass on their genes
supporting nature as it
suggests competitive
aggression is occurring
for this drive to
biologically reproduce
Charles Whitman: A03:
Charles Whitman had a
tumour pressing on his
limbic system which
meant he went on a
violent killing spree
killing 17 people this
supports the view that
brain areas responsible
for emotions can cause
increases in violence
suggesting nature causes
aggression.
Eisenegger: a03:
Found when giving females
from the general
population a dose of
testosterone, they
behaved more generously
and more sociably
suggesting testosterone is
not the cause of
aggression limiting its
explanation of nature
causing aggression
Raine: A03:
found lower glucose
metabolism in the prefrontal cortex in those pleading not guilty for
reasons of insanity
compared to a control
group this supports
aggression being due to
nature as the irregular
functioning of brain areas
causes aggression.
Biology: AO3:
Biology is reductionist as it
simplifies the explanation of
aggression to only biology
such as evolving aggression
to find a mate this is low
in validity as it may not be a
full accurate explanation of
all possible reasons why all
individuals commit
aggressive acts such as
upbringing so not always
nature causing aggression.
