Neural and Hormonal Mechanisms - Hormonal Mechanisms Flashcards
What are the three explanations for the testosterone-aggression relationship?
1 - Testosterone causes aggression.
2 - Aggression increases testosterone secretion.
3 - Neither has an effect go the other (correlation only not cause and effect)
Who is the key guy for the three explanations of the testosterone-aggression relationship?
Mazur, 1985.
What studies were done for the first explanation for the testosterone-aggression relationship?
Testosterone causes agression.
Hormone subtraction and replacement studies.
Who did hormone subtraction and replacement studies (1)?
Simpson, 2001.
What did Simpson do (1)?
Measured the normal level of aggression in mice.
Castrated the mice.
Castration = decrease in aggression.
Replaced testosterone through hormone therapy = increase of aggression, returned almost to pre-castration levels.
What is the hypothesis for the second explanation of the testosterone-aggression relationship?
Aggression increases testosterone secretion.
Behaviour regulating hormone hypothesis.
Relating to humans, how does the behaviour regulating hormone hypothesis apply (2)?
Testosterone is recreated to help you deal with aggressive situations.
What as the study done for the second explanation of the testosterone-aggression relationship?
Aggression increases hormone secretion.
Male students, saliva taken throughout.
Task 1 - dissemble and reassemble object.
Condition 1 = Gun.
Condition 2 = Mouse trap game.
Task 2 - make chilli drink for next ppt (more chilli = more aggression?)
Findings - 100% more testosterone in gun group!!!
Conclusion - Environmental stimuli (gun) may increase aggressive conditions, and as a result, increase testosterone levels.
Is the third explanation of the testosterone-aggression relationship AO1 or AO3?
If you use the other ones, with studies as “demonstration” or “showing”, then this can be AO3.
Do not use “support” on other studies.
Who did the research into the third explanation of the testosterone-aggression relationship?
Correlation only - no cause and effect.
Sapolsky, 1997.
What did Sapolsky do (3)?
What is interesting about hyenas?
Hyenas have a sex-reversal system.
Female hyenas are more aggressive and are socially dominant.
Females secrete more testosterone-related hormones than males.
Captive hyenas are less aggressive than non, despite having the same levels of testosterone.
Why are captive hyenas less aggressive than non-captive hyenas? Sapolsky work, (3)
Because they have fear environmental threats to deal with.
What does Sapolsky’s look into hyenas suggest?
That it is the environment that causes aggression, rather than testosterone.
