The structure of the brain and aggression Flashcards
Brain structure: role of the limbic system
What is the key structure involved in aggression
Amygdala
Brain structure: role of the limbic system
Role of the amygdala
It’s how organisms assess and responds to environmental threats and challenges
Brain structure: role of the limbic system
What is a key indicator of aggressive behaviour
the reactivity of the amygdala
Brain structure: role of the prefrontal cortex
Recent research indicates amygdala doen’t influence aggression on it’s own, what other part of the brain is linked
Orbitofrontal cortex
Brain structure: role of the prefrontal cortex
What is the orbitofrontal cortex
region of the prefrontal cortex, just above the eye sockets.
Brain structure: role of the prefrontal cortex
Orbitofrontal cortex role
Higher cognitive functions, like rational thinking
- thought to be involved in self control and impulse regulation.
Brain function: role of serotonin
What effects does serotonin have on transmission between neurons
it slows down and dampens neuronal activity
Brain function: role of serotonin
What type of behaviour is associated with normal levels of serotonin in OFC (orbitofrontal cortex)
Reasonable degree of behavioural self-control
- reduced levels of serotonin may reduce self control and lead to more impulsive behaviours
Brain function: Role of dopamine
How does dopamine link with agression
Dopamine interacts with serotonin
- serotonin underactivity leads to dopamine overactivity
- both linked to impulsivity and agression
What is a strength of this idea
Evidence from longitudinal studies support the role of the amygdala in aggression.
Strength - research evidence:
Procedure of longitudinal study
researchers took fMRI scans of 56 males who were part of a study when they were 6-7 years old.
these men consistantly behaved aggressively for 20 years
Strength - research evidence:
results of longitudinal study
strong negative correlation between amygdala volume and levels of aggression.
Strength - research evidence:
What do the results show
Strong support for the influence of the amygdala, shows explaantion has predictive validity
Weakness of brain stucture and aggression
most research is often correlational so a cause and effect relationship cannot be established
- an experimental design making people angry would be unethical
Weakness of brain stucture and aggression:
What’s an alterative to using correlational studies
experimental studies on animals, however this would also raise ethical and practical concerns
Weakness of brain stucture and aggression:
What do these 2 points mean for the affects of brain structure and aggression?
Impossible to establish whether a paticular structure or function is a cause or effect of aggressive behaviour.
Competing arguement to the weakness
Some researchers investigated giving drugs to participants that increased serotonin levels.
Competing arguement:
What did the researchers find when they gave the serotonin increasing drug
Participants gave fewer and less intense electrical shocks to others, lower aggression levels.
- this gives evidence to a link between serotonin and aggression
Another weakness of brain structure’s link to aggression
It’s reductionist, amygdala dysfunction is not an inevitable cause of aggression
Another weakness of brain structure’s link to aggression:
How do we know amygdala dysfunction isn’t the only cause of aggression
aggression has many factors, social, psychological and environmental
- interact with biologicla predispositions
Another weakness of brain structure’s link to aggression:
What does this explanation being reductionist mean?
It doesn’t reflect the true complexity of the underlying causes of aggression
