Neural and Hormonal Mechanisms AO1 & AO3

Question 1

What is the most imp structure of the limbic system?

AO1

Answer 1

The Amygdala

Question 2

What is the Limbic System?

AO1

Answer 2

Subcortical Structures thought to be involved in regulating emotional behaviour

Question 3

What does the amygdala do?

AO1

Answer 3

helps humans and animals to assess and respond to environmental threats and challenges

Question 4

Who conducted the Ultimate Game Study?

AO1

Answer 4

Gospic et al.

Question 5

what happened in the Ultimate Game Study?

AO1

Answer 5

2 ppts - one proposer, one responder
Proposer offers to split money in a certain way, if responder rejects offer they both get nothing.
Responders had their brain scans w/ an fMRI during the game.
Found heightened amygdala activity when they rejected the offer

Question 6

What neurotransmitter is thought to have a role in Aggression?

AO1

Answer 6

Serotonin

Question 7

What are normal levels of Serotonin associated with?

AO1

Answer 7

behavioural self control

Question 8

What did Denson propose about Serotonin levels?

AO1

Answer 8

That low levels increase impulsive behaviour like aggression

Question 9

Who conducted a study into serotonin and aggression?

AO1

Answer 9

Virkkunen et al

Question 10

What did Virkunen do? What did they find?

AO1

Answer 10

compared serotonin break down in cerebrospinal fluid in violent impulsive and violent non-impulsive offenders.

Found significantly lower levels of serotonin in impulsive offenders along with irregular sleep. So, Serotonin closely linked to reactive aggression

Question 11

what is a limitation of the limbic system?

AO3

Answer 11

doesn’t work in isolation, other structures involved - Coccaro concluded that the OFC is involved and is linked to impulse regulation; people with psychiatric disorders have low OFC activity

Question 12

Who conducted research to support serotonin? What did they do?

AO3

Answer 12

Berman et al - gave ppts placebo or paroxetine. they took part in a lab-based game that gave shocks when ppts provoked.
Paroxetine - fewer shocks given
BUT only true if ppt had a history of aggression

Question 13

What hormone is thought to be involved in aggression?

AO1

Answer 13

Testosterone - regulates social behaviours

Question 14

what did Dolan find?

AO1

Answer 14

a positive correlation between levels of testosterone and aggressive behaviours in 60 male offenders.

Ppts had history with impulsively violent behaviour and suffered from personality disorders

Question 15

who came up with the Dual Hormone Hypothesis?

AO3

Answer 15

Carre and Mehta

Question 16

what is the Dual Hormone Hypothesis?

AO3

Answer 16

for testosterone to cause aggression a person needs to have low cortisol levels. Cortisol plays a role in stress response and previous studies have linked it to physical aggression.
So, better predictor when looked at together