Neural and Hormonal influences on aggression: AO1 Flashcards
Neural influences are …
Limbic system and serotonin.
What is the Limbic system made up of and what is it’s role?
- The limbic system helps coordinate behaviours which satisfy motivational and emotional urges.
2 key structures in the limbic system are the amygdala, hippocampus.
Amygdala: evaluates the emotional importance of sensory information and prompts an appropriate response. If certain areas of the amygdala are stimulated electrically an animal responds with aggression.
Hippocampus: allows animal to compare the current threat with similar past experiences. Impaired hippocampul function prevents the nervous system from putting things into relevant and meaningful context which may cause the amygdala to respond inappropriately to a specific stimuli.
Serotonin:
- Exerts a calming inhibitory effect on neural firing within the brain.
- Typically inhibits firing of the amygdala.
- Low levels of serotonin remove this inhibitory effect, meaning the individual is less able to control impulsive and aggressive behaviour.
- Low levels of serotonin are associated with more aggression e.g Mann et al gave, 35 healthy participants deplete serotonin, using a questionnaire he found that deplete serotonin in males was associated with increased hostility and aggression scores.
Hormonal influences: Testosterone.
- Testosterone produces male characteristics, one is aggressive behaviour.
- More testosterone means more aggression.
- Released by testes in men, have higher volumes of it than women.
21-35 increased male on male aggression when testosterone is highest.
Hypothalamus:
- Controls the fight or flight response
- Activates the sympathetic nervous system
- Sends nerve impulses to motor neurons to tell our body to move
- Triggers aggressive behaviour.
Role of the frontal cortex in aggression:
Inhibition from the frontal cortex causes the amygdala to stop sending nerve impulses to the hypothalamus, which reduces agg behaviour.
