Topic C - Aggression

Question 1

What are the two areas of the brain that are involved in aggression?

Answer 1

The limbic system and the amygdala.

Question 2

What is the role of the limbic system?

Answer 2

Produce and control aggression to aid survival.

Question 3

What is the role of the amygdala?

Answer 3

Recognises emotion and produces emotional responses. Involved in aggression as an emotional response.

Question 4

Name one case study that links aggression and the amygdala.

Answer 4

King (1961) who studied a woman whose amygdala was electrically stimulated during an operation. She became verbally aggressive and threatening.

Question 5

Outline one problem with animal studies.

Answer 5

Animals are different than humans, therefore the research into humans may not apply in the same way.

Question 6

Give two strengths for the link between biology and aggression.

Answer 6

Animal studies that have involved damage to or removal of the amygdala offer evidence for its link with aggression.

The case study of Charles Whitman and the case described by King (1961) are evidence for its link with aggression in humans.

Question 7

Give four weaknesses for the link between biology and aggression.

Answer 7

Studying human brains is difficult and risky so there’s no way of making sure areas of the brain are linked with aggression.

Animals and humans are different in many ways - animal research suggesting this link may not be applicable to humans.

Case studies are unreliable, as the reason for an individual’s aggression may be unique.

Aggression could equally be explained by the way children copy the media.

Question 8

What is the role of testosterone in the human body?

Answer 8

Responsible for producing male features and the development of the male reproductive system.

Question 9

Outline one way that psychologists have researched testosterone and aggression in humans.

Answer 9

Psychologists have measured levels of testosterone and asked the participants how aggressive they are in a questionnaire.

Question 10

Outline one way that psychologists have researched testosterone and aggression in animals.

Answer 10

Psychologists have lowered testosterone levels through castration and/or given animals injections of the hormone.

Question 11

Give two strengths for the role of testosterone on aggression.

Answer 11

In animals, there is a clear cause and effect relationship between testosterone and aggression.

Human studies show a relationship between aggression and testosterone in correlation studies.

Question 12

Give four weaknesses for the role of testosterone on aggression.

Answer 12

High testosterone levels ≠ being aggressive. Testosterone creates a drive but not necessarily an aggressive one.

Correlation and animal studies have weaknesses. Animal studies may not apply to humans, and correlation studies just look for relationships and are not direct evidence.

If testosterone is the cause of aggression, why are women aggressive / more aggressive than men?

Completely ignores the huge impact of upbringing and social circumstances on our behaviour.

Question 13

Describe the social learning theory.

Answer 13

People learn through observational learning in a way in which they model somebody else who they identify to be their role model. Through vicarious reinforcement, they then model and copy their role model’s behaviour, to achieve a reward.

Question 14

Give two strengths for the social learning theory as an explanation of aggression.

Answer 14

Bandura’s (1961) study supports social learning theory as he found that children do copy aggression.

School shootings have been linked to TV and video game violence.

Question 15

Give four weaknesses for the social learning theory as an explanation of aggression.

Answer 15

It could be that aggressive children watch aggression on TV and play violent video games rather than being affected by them. They would be naturally aggressive.

Many children watch violence but not all children copy it.

Watching aggression lowers aggression. It acts as a release for natural aggression.

Difficult to study observational learning as modelling can occur long after the study or not at all.

Question 16

Describe a difference between the two theories of aggression.

Answer 16

Biological theories focus on the physical cause whereas social learning theory focuses on the external / experimental cause.

Question 17

Describe a similarity between the two theories of aggression.

Answer 17

Both are difficult to prove.

In biological theories, the human brain is difficult and unethical to study for aggression centres.

In social learning theory, difficult to measure because of the time lapse between observation and learning.

Question 18

What were the findings / results of Ramirez et Al (2001)?

Answer 18

Japanese showed more physical aggression than Spanish.

Spanish showed more anger and verbal aggression that Japanese.

Males showed more physical and verbal aggression and hostility than females in both cultures.

Males and females in both cultures showed the same level of anger.

Question 19

Outline two strengths of the Ramirez et Al. (2001) study

Answer 19

Questions produce qualitative data so cannot be interpreted differently.

All students were volunteers and fully aware that results would be published. This means that it is an ethical study.

Question 20

Outline three weaknesses of the Ramirez et Al. (2001) study

Answer 20

Some questionnaires are criticized because the answers can be interpreted in such a way that they meet the expectations of the researcher. Open-ended questions are an example of this.

All students studied psychology so they may have guessed the aim of the study (biased responses) or answered in a socially desirable way.

May have answered questions according to how they think they would act, but in reality, this would be different.

Question 21

What is a content analysis?

Answer 21

A research method used to measure the number of times something comes up.

Question 22

How do you conduct a content analysis?

Answer 22

1. Decide what aggressive behavior is.
2. Develop a list of behaviors which could be measured as aggressive.
3. Decide on a sample they need to study (e.g. TV programs or adverts, time of day)
4. Tally the times aggression occurred.
5. Assess the reliability of your results.

Question 23

What happens if a poor sample is used in content analysis?

Answer 23

The findings are unrepresentative.

They may not apply to everyone.

Question 24

Name the 6 main ethical guidlines

Answer 24

Protection of participants
Consent
Right to withdraw
Deception
Debrief
Competence

Question 25

Describe protection of participants

Answer 25

• This research should not include ways of physical and/or psychological harm.
• Psychologists must consider rights of P’s and compare this to the benefits of the research.
• P’s can’t be physically harmed as this is unjustifiable.
• Must consider psychological harm like: embarrassment, distress, anxiety or concern.

Question 26

Describe consent

Answer 26

• P’s must give consent to be part of a study.
• R’s must try to fully inform P’s about aim and nature of study.
• This allows P’s to refuse permission if they don’t want to be part of study.
• Consent should be informed consent.

Question 27

Describe right to withdraw

Answer 27

• Should be able to withdraw consent at any time in the experiment.
• If they show signs of psychological harming, withdrawal should be immediate, so that they aren’t harmed.

Question 28

Describe deception

Answer 28

• P’s shouldn’t be lied to unless necessary.
• It can make P’s feel humiliated otherwise.
• Being lied to is not a nice feeling.

Question 29

Describe debrief

Answer 29

• P’s should be told the real aim of the study afterwards.
• To ensure they leave in the same state they come in as.
• Debrief IS NOT an excuse for deception.

Question 30

Describe competence

Answer 30

• A researcher must be qualified to conduct an experiment.
• Need approval by BPS (British Psychological Society).
• Researchers must seek advice from colleagues if they are unsure about how the study will affect P’s.

Question 31

Name 6 ways in which we can protect participants.

Answer 31

• Before research, make sure all risk of harm is identified and minimized.
• R’s should seek professional help from colleagues about risk identified.
• R’s should inform participants where risks are involved.
• P’s should be given right to withdraw, even if not fully informed about the study aim.
• Counselling should be provided after the study. There should be a follow up of all participants.
• When debriefing P’s, they should be reassured that participation is confidential and that participation is of great value.

Question 32

In which year was the Anderson and Dill study carried out?

Answer 32

2000

Question 33

What was the aim of the Anderson and Dill study?

Answer 33

To see whether people who played violent video games became aggressive.

Question 34

What was the procedure of the Anderson and Dill study?

Answer 34

• 210 Psychology students split into two groups, and asked to play either a violent or non-violent video game for 30 minutes.
• Participants told that aim was about motor skills.
• P’s placed into a cubicle and told to play a video game against an opponent; no opponent.
• After 15 mins, told to play competitive game with opponent, involving a reaction test.
• Person who pressed button fastest = winner, and were allowed to punish the opponent with loud noise.
• Able to set volume and duration of loud noise.
• P’s debriefed fully afterwards.

Question 35

What were the IV and DV of the Anderson and Dill study?

Answer 35

IV: Type of video game played
DV: Level of aggression shown after playing game.

Question 36

What were the results of the Anderson and Dill study?

Answer 36

• Loudest and longest blasts gave from P’s who played violent video game.
• Females gave greater punishment to their opponents.

Question 37

What was the conclusion of the Anderson and Dill study?

Answer 37

• Playing violent video games caused an increase in aggression in P’s, especially women.
• Games made P’s think in an aggressive way.
• Prolonged use of violent video games could cause permanent aggressive thought patterns.

Question 38

Outline two strengths of the Anderson and Dill study.

Answer 38

It was a laboratory experiment, so it was controlled. Made sure all participants received same instructions; only difference was the game played. This makes results reliable since study could be repeated again and same results are likely to be found again.

Findings of the study have useful applications on the real world. Tells us that we are right to have age restrictions on video games as they might affect behavior in young people.

Question 39

Outline three weaknesses of the Anderson and Dill study.

Answer 39

Even though P’s were deceived about aim of study, they may have guessed it anyway as they were Psychology students.

We normally play video games in places which aren’t recorded. These P’s had to play in a cubicle where they knew they were being watched. This means that the study wasn’t realistic and P’s may not have acted naturally.

Study violated ethical guidelines.

• -Deception (didn’t tell P’s about aim)
• -Protection to Participants (stressed about receiving loud blasts and believing that they were harming someone).

Question 40

In which year was the Charlton et al study carried out and where?

Answer 40

Carried out in 2000, in St. Helena.

Question 41

What was the aim of the Charlton et al study?

Answer 41

To investigate the effects of television on children’s behavior.

Question 42

What was the procedure of the Charlton et al study?

Answer 42

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