Neural and hormonal influences

Question 1

What is the limbic system?

Answer 1

A system of subcortical structures associated with emotional behaviour

Question 2

What are the 2 key structures of the limbic system in aggression?

Answer 2

The amygdala and hippocampus

Question 3

What is the role of the amygdala?

Answer 3

Evaluating the emotional importance of sensory information and organising an appropriate response

Question 4

What happens if parts of the amygdala are electrically stimulated?

Answer 4

It produces an aggression response

Question 5

What happens if parts of the amygdala are removed?

Answer 5

No aggression is produced in response to the same stimuli

Question 6

In the monkey amygdala study, what did they find?

Answer 6

When the amygdala was destroyed, the monkey lost its dominant place in its social group

Question 7

What is the role of the hippocampus?

Answer 7

Forms long-term memories

Question 8

How is the hippocampus associated with aggression?

Answer 8

It allows us to compare current threats with similar past experiences

Question 9

Why can impaired hippocampus function lead to inappropriate responses to sensory stimuli?

Answer 9

It prevents the nervous system from putting things into a relevant and meaningful context

Question 10

What effect does serotonin have on the brain?

Answer 10

A calming effect

Question 11

What levels of serotonin are associated with aggressive behaviour?

Answer 11

Low levels

Question 12

What effect does serotonin have on the amygdala?

Answer 12

It inhibits it from firing

Question 13

What is testosterone?

Answer 13

A hormone that produces secondary sexual characteristics in males

Question 14

When does testosterone peak in males?

Answer 14

Young adulthood

Question 15

What happens to males when testosterone is artificially lowered/removed?

Answer 15

They are less aggressive

Question 16

At what age is male-on-male aggression mostly seen?

Answer 16

Young adulthood

Question 17

What are the 4 AO3 points for neural and hormonal influences on aggression?

Answer 17

1) Evidence for the role of the amygdala
2) Evidence for the role of the hippocampus
3) Inconsistent evidence for the role of testosterone
4) Evidence for serotonin deficiency hypothesis

Question 18

What did one study find about amygdala volume?

Answer 18

Lower amygdala volume can be a predictor of severe and persistent aggression

Question 19

In the study looking at the relationship between amygdala volume and aggression, what type of study was it?

Answer 19

Longitudinal study

Question 20

In the study looking at the relationship between amygdala volume and aggression, at what age did the men have MRI scans?

Answer 20

26

Question 21

In the study looking at the relationship between amygdala volume and aggression, how many men had MRI scans?

Answer 21

56

Question 22

In the study looking at the relationship between amygdala volume and aggression, what happened once confounding variables were controlled for?

Answer 22

The relationship between amygdala volume and aggression prevailed

Question 23

In the research supporting the role of the hippocampus on aggression, who were studied?

Answer 23

Violent offenders

Question 24

In the research supporting the role of the hippocampus on aggression, what were the 2 groups?

Answer 24

Successful psychopaths and unsuccessful psychopaths

Question 25

In the research supporting the role of the hippocampus on aggression, how were successful psychopaths characterised?

Answer 25

Evaded the law + cold and calculating

Question 26

In the research supporting the role of the hippocampus on aggression, how were the unsuccessful psychopaths characterised?

Answer 26

Those who were convicted + impulsive

Question 27

In the research supporting the role of the hippocampus on aggression, what did MRI scans find about the unsuccessful psychopaths?

Answer 27

They had asymmetries in their hippocampi

Question 28

Why is their inconsistent evidence for the role of testosterone in aggression?

Answer 28

Some studies have found a positive correlation between testosterone and aggression, but other studies have found no such relationship

Question 29

What did the study of prison inmates find about testosterone?

Answer 29

Positive correlations between testosterone and self-reported aggression levels were found

Question 30

What did the study about violent inmates and testosterone find?

Answer 30

There was no correlation between testosterone levels and actual violent behaviour in male inmates

Question 31

In the meta-analysis that supports the serotonin deficiency hypothesis, how many studies were included?

Answer 31

175

Question 32

In the meta-analysis that supports the serotonin deficiency hypothesis, how many participants were there in total?

Answer 32

Over 6500

Question 33

In the meta-analysis that supports the serotonin deficiency hypothesis, what was found?

Answer 33

A small inverse relationship between serotonin levels and aggression

Question 34

In the meta-analysis that supports the serotonin deficiency hypothesis, what was found to influence the magnitude of the relationship found? (3)

Answer 34

The methods used to assess serotonin functioning, the year of publication and whether the aggression was self-reported or not