role of hormones in human behaviour Flashcards
Hormones:
Define hormones
Chemical messengers that circulate in the bloodstream
Hormones:
What is the role of hormones
Affect certain organs or cells around the body, connect to receptors of cells for those specific hormones
Adrenaline:
How does adrenaline link to aggression
bodies fight or flight response, secreted by adrenal glands
helps fuel aggressive behaviour needed for response to threat
Testosterone:
Why do psychologists look at testosterone for an explanation of aggression
Because of the common idea that males are more aggressive than females and testosterone is the main male sex hormone
Testosterone:
How does this hormone regulate social behaviour
through it’s influence of the brain areas that have been linked with aggression
Testosterone:
What have researchers found in animal studies when looking at testosterone’s link to aggression
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
Dual-hormone hypothesis:
What’s the second hormone added to link to aggression by this theory
Cortisol
Dual-hormone hypothesis:
WHat is the role of cortisol
Also secreted by adrenal gland to help deal with the effects of stress on the body
Dual-hormone hypothesis:
What does the role of cortisol suggest
Both testosterone and cortisol are released by adrenal glands, suggests interaction between the system of aggression and stress.
Strength of this theory:
What is a strength the theory
Research evidence of testosterones effects in females
Strength of this theory:
Outline the study showing testosterone effects in females
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
Strength of this theory:
What does this evidence show
testosterone-aggression link supported, increases validity of the association.
Competing arguement:
What is a cometing arguement of the study on female prisoners
The study used correlation method
Competing arguement:
Why is the correlation method a weakness
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
Weakness of measuring testosterone:
What is a weakness in measuring testosterone
it’s dificult to measure testosterone levels because of the concept of ‘testosterone level’ is more complex than it might apppear.
Weakness of measuring testosterone:
Why is the ‘testosterone level’ concept complex
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
Weakness of measuring testosterone:
Explain how what Carre et al argues would be a weakness
Means using baseline indicators in many studies may not be a valid indicator of testosterones relation to aggression
Strength of application:
What is a strength of application of understanding hormones role in aggression
Better understanding of the influences of hormones on aggression can have practical benefits
Strength of application:
GIve an example of some practical benefits of better understanding influences of hormones on aggression.
Drugs can be developed that influence hormones to reduce aggressive behaviour
Strength of application:
Evidence of hormone alterring drugs that reduce aggression
2006 study found testosterone-reducing drug reduced levels of sexually aggressive behaviour in some offenders
Strength of application:
How might these drugs impact communities
Anti-testosterone drugs may have positive consequences for individuals who are more aggressive than others
