neural and hormonal mechanisms in aggression

Question 1

explain the limbic system?

Answer 1

• structures inside the brain

- believed comprises of things like the hypothalamus

Question 2

explain the role of the Amygdala (limbic)

Answer 2

• key role in how humans respond to environmental threats and challenges
• important predictor of aggressive behaviour

Question 3

what study supports the role of the Amygdala and its role in aggression, explain procedure and findings? (limbic)

Answer 3

• Katerina Gospic
• used lab methods
• offers to split money w responder if accepted they both split, if rejected they both receive nothing
• brains were scanned -found that when rejecting unfair offers = fast and heightened response by amygdala
• when benzodiazepine was taken b4 halved number of rejections and decreased activity of amygdala

Question 4

explain the role of serotonin?

Answer 4

• neurotransmitter

- effects brain and slows down neural activity

Question 5

explain the effects of normal levels of serotonin?

Answer 5

-reduced firing of neurones in orbitofrontal cortex= greater self control

Question 6

explain the effects of lower levels of serotonin

Answer 6

-reduces self control and leads to increase in aggressive behaviour

Question 7

explain study that supports impact of serotonin on aggression?

Answer 7

• Virkkunen compared levels of serotonin in cerebrospinal fluid of violent and non violent offenders.
• found impulsive offenders had more sleep irregularities as serotonin regulates sleep patterns= supports role of serotonin in reactive aggression

Question 8

evaluate the role of other brain structures in regards to Amygdala?

Answer 8

• Amygdala doesn’t work in isolation as a determining factor of aggression as OFC is thought to be involved in self control
• supported by study that found in patients with psychiatric disorders that feature aggression, the oFC was reduced = aggression
• shows there could be more factors involved in aggression

Question 9

evaluate the effects of drugs on serotonin?

Answer 9

WEAKNESS

• drugs that increase serotonin also decrease levels of aggression
• researcher gave participants a placebo or a drug that enhanced serotonin
• then they took part in lab game where electric shocks were given/received
• placebo group gave more intense shocks
• shows correlation with aggression and serotonin

Question 10

explain testosterone as a hormonal mechanism in aggression

Answer 10

STRENGTH

• testosterone is responsible for development of masculine features
• animal studies show increase in testosterone is related to gender aggressive behaviour
• prision studies also show positive correlation between testosterone levels and aggression in same of 60 male offenders

Question 11

evaluate study that supports role of testosterone in aggression?

Answer 11

STRENGTH

• Josephs and Mehta measured changes in pp’s testosterone levels b4 and after competitive game
• losers asked if they wanted to rechallenge or do a non aggressive task
• of losers whose testosterone levels rose 73% rechallenged
• but of the losers whose testosterone dropped, only 22% rechallenged
• shows that after loss of status people act aggressively after increase of testosterone

Question 12

evaluate other hormones involved in aggression?

Answer 12

WEAKNESS

• evidence for link between T and aggression in mixed
• Mehta claims T leads to aggression only when level of cortisol in low
• when cortisol is high T’s influence of aggression is blocked
• test on adolescent males also confirms
• shows C and T are good indicators of aggression TOGETHER