key question Flashcards
state key question
what are the implications if aggression is a result of nature not nurture
what is aggression
overt or covert, often harmful interaction with the intention of inflicting damage upon another individual
what is the role of nature and nurture in aggression
nurture - due to environment, we come into the world as a blank mind and learn behaviour
nature - due to genetics or brain structure
why is the key question important to society
police recorded 19% increase in violent crime (649 to 739)
in 2020, domestic abuse rose by 20%
in 2017 464,000 died from violent crimes
describe the theory of evolution
purpose is to pass down genes
males needed to acquire a status and gain resources to be attractive - physical aggression
not 100% paternity certainty for males
females likely to be socially aggressive to reduce attractiveness of other women
survival of offspring depends on mothers presence so physical aggression doesnt aid them
daly and wilson - low status males most likely to be victims and offenders
describe the theory of brain structure
amygdala - emotional processing and memory
fight or flight
incorrect perception of emotions
PFC - planning / decisions
cannot plan for consequences
raine, charles whitman, phineas gage
describe the theory of neurotransmitters
dopamine - motivation, reward
act to gain rewards
sz more dopamine in mesolimbic
amphetamine mimics dopamine and inc aggression
ferrari - intruder rats
serotonin
ssris block reuptake to increase levels
gorkal - fmri in alcohol users, prevents message of serotonin passing so including aggression
low validity
case studies are unique
no comparison to before
methodology
brain scans - reliable and valid
reductionist
does not consider the environment
alternate theory
slt
- learn through observing and imitating a role model
- bandura
conclusion
implication if aggression is due to nature = prisons are useless and used for scapegoating
implication if aggression due to nurture = if we can learn, we should be able to unlearn
