Key Question

Question 1

What is the key question for biological psychology?

Answer 1

What are the implications for society if aggression is found to be caused by nature not nurture?

Question 2

What is the nature vs nurture debate?

Answer 2

Describes the question of how much a person’s characteristics are formed by either “nature” or “nurture.” “Nature” means innate biological factors (namely genetics), while “nurture” can refer to upbringing or life experience more generally.

Question 3

Describe the key question in biological psychology?

Answer 3

Aggression in humans might come from nature or their nurture. They may act aggressively from some biological cause or they may act aggressivelt in response to something in their environment.

Question 4

Why might it be wrong to assume biology is the only cause of aggression?- Implications to society

Answer 4

• Deterministic: Doesn’t consider how environment may play a role and creates labels from society. If you have aggressive parents you WILL be aggressive
• Reject psychological therapies for criminals: Token economy- prosocial behaviour is useless if not also social, Anger management- alternative reasons to irrational thoughts
  -Pre-screening lead to isolation and labelling: leads to labelling and SFP
• Scape goat for criminals: oooooooh its just my genetics i cant help but to murder

Question 5

Why is it correct to assume biology is the only cause of aggression?

Answer 5

• Evidence in court: Brain scan does provide credible evidence - geneticsc could be an influencing factor and offender doesnt have control
• More effective treatments for violent crimes

Question 6

Explain how brain functioning would be a biological explanation of the cause of aggression?

Answer 6

Excessive reacticity in the amygdala with prefrontal regulation, serves to increase the likelihood of aggressive behaviour.
Damage to the prefrontal cortec, hypothalamus, hippocampus
Serotonin/ Dopamine- mania

Question 7

Explain how horomones would be a biological explanation of the cause of aggression?

Answer 7

Testosterone- high leveles are shown to cause aggression as a male characteristic.
Cortisol- people with low cortisol stimulate ANS by risk taking behaviour to bring cortisol levels up

Question 8

Explain how evolution would be a biological explanation of the cause of aggression?

Answer 8

Males: protect status to gain a female and secure parental certainty by protecting females from competing males.
Femals: to get wealth, secuity for children fight off competing females through manipulation

Question 9

What evidence is there to support the idea that aggression is just a biologcal cause?

Answer 9

• Raine et al- Pre frontal cortex- underdeveloped in muderes, Amygdala high in righ low in left side
• Charles Whitman- Tumour on amygdala unable to regulate emotions, murdered 10 people from a clock tower
• Wagner et al- Castrated mice aggression levels dropped links to 95% of aggression is prisons are males

Question 10

What evidence is there to support the idea that aggression is just a social cause?

Answer 10

• Bandura