role of hormones in human behaviour

Question 1

Hormones:

Define hormones

Answer 1

Chemical messengers that circulate in the bloodstream

Question 2

Hormones:

What is the role of hormones

Answer 2

Affect certain organs or cells around the body, connect to receptors of cells for those specific hormones

Question 3

Adrenaline:

How does adrenaline link to aggression

Answer 3

bodies fight or flight response, secreted by adrenal glands

helps fuel aggressive behaviour needed for response to threat

Question 4

Testosterone:

Why do psychologists look at testosterone for an explanation of aggression

Answer 4

Because of the common idea that males are more aggressive than females and testosterone is the main male sex hormone

Question 5

Testosterone:

How does this hormone regulate social behaviour

Answer 5

through it’s influence of the brain areas that have been linked with aggression

Question 6

Testosterone:

What have researchers found in animal studies when looking at testosterone’s link to aggression

Answer 6

an experimental increase of testosterone has related to more aggressive behaviour in several species, mostly rats.

as a result of castration testosterone and aggressive behaviours go down

Question 7

Dual-hormone hypothesis:

What’s the second hormone added to link to aggression by this theory

Answer 7

Cortisol

Question 8

Dual-hormone hypothesis:

WHat is the role of cortisol

Answer 8

Also secreted by adrenal gland to help deal with the effects of stress on the body

Question 9

Dual-hormone hypothesis:

What does the role of cortisol suggest

Answer 9

Both testosterone and cortisol are released by adrenal glands, suggests interaction between the system of aggression and stress.

Question 10

Strength of this theory:

What is a strength the theory

Answer 10

Research evidence of testosterones effects in females

Question 11

Strength of this theory:

Outline the study showing testosterone effects in females

Answer 11

researchers measured testosterone in saliva of 87 female inmates of a maximum security prison.

found testosterone levels positively correlated with degree of criminal violance used by these inmates

Question 12

Strength of this theory:

What does this evidence show

Answer 12

testosterone-aggression link supported, increases validity of the association.

Question 13

Competing arguement:

What is a cometing arguement of the study on female prisoners

Answer 13

The study used correlation method

Question 14

Competing arguement:

Why is the correlation method a weakness

Answer 14

cannot establish a relationship, for example elevated levels of testosterone may be the outcome of aggression, or another hormone might play a role without us knowing

Question 15

Weakness of measuring testosterone:

What is a weakness in measuring testosterone

Answer 15

it’s dificult to measure testosterone levels because of the concept of ‘testosterone level’ is more complex than it might apppear.

Question 16

Weakness of measuring testosterone:

Why is the ‘testosterone level’ concept complex

Answer 16

Psychologists distinguish between ‘baseline’ and ‘fluctuating’ levels.

Carre et al argued baseline testosterone levels plays a less important role in human aggression than it does in animals, baseline levels are often used in studies

Question 17

Weakness of measuring testosterone:

Explain how what Carre et al argues would be a weakness

Answer 17

Means using baseline indicators in many studies may not be a valid indicator of testosterones relation to aggression

Question 18

Strength of application:

What is a strength of application of understanding hormones role in aggression

Answer 18

Better understanding of the influences of hormones on aggression can have practical benefits

Question 19

Strength of application:

GIve an example of some practical benefits of better understanding influences of hormones on aggression.

Answer 19

Drugs can be developed that influence hormones to reduce aggressive behaviour

Question 20

Strength of application:

Evidence of hormone alterring drugs that reduce aggression

Answer 20

2006 study found testosterone-reducing drug reduced levels of sexually aggressive behaviour in some offenders

Question 21

Strength of application:

How might these drugs impact communities

Answer 21

Anti-testosterone drugs may have positive consequences for individuals who are more aggressive than others