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Aggression Flashcards

1
Q

What are the two neural mechanisms for aggression?

A

The limbic system and serotonin

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2
Q

What is the limbic system?

A

A region in the brain that mediates emotional states and memory processes. It is made of three structures: hypothalamus, hippocampus, amygdala

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3
Q

What is the role of the hypothalamus?

A

Sensory detection (SCN) and homeostasis

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4
Q

What is the role of the hippocampus?

A

Episodic memories (personal experiences), is this safe?

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5
Q

What is the role of the amygdala?

A

Emotional regulation and rage response

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6
Q

Describe serotonins role in aggression.

A

Serotonin is inhibitory = reduces firings = associated with a sense of control
Decreased serotonin = reduced self control and increased impulsiveness

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7
Q

What is the hormonal mechanism for aggression?

A

Testosterone

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8
Q

Describe testosterones role in aggression.

A

Is a hormone released from the testes responsible for the development oof masculine features (for fighting). Regulates social behaviour. Peak in 20s.

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9
Q

Describe Simpsons study on testosterone.

A

The normal level of aggression in mice measured, mice castrated, caused a decrease in aggression seen in mouse behaviour, replacement of hormone increased aggression.

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10
Q

Describe heritability and concordance in relation to aggression.

A

Monozygotic twins have 100% identical genes, dizygotic twins only have sibling similarity, the concordance rate measured for aggressive and anti social behaviour higher in MZ then DZ

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11
Q

How does studying adopted children show genetic factors for aggression?

A

Will have similar genetic makeup to biological parents so even if in different environment will have a similar level of aggression to biological than adopted parents

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12
Q

Explain the role of the MAOA gene in aggression.

A

MAOA regulates MAOA enzyme which breaks down excess neurotransmitters in the synapse. The low function gene =MAOA-L which allows neurotransmitters to build up but is only expressed when triggered by environmental experience

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13
Q

What are the biological explanations for aggression?

A

Neural and hormonal mechanisms, limbic system, serotonin, testosterones, genetic factors(MAOA)

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14
Q

What are the ethological explanations for aggression?

A

Adaption, Ritualistic, Innate Realising Mechanism

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15
Q

Explain why aggression is adaptive?

A

As adaptive behaviours have yielded benefits for survival, and aggression reduces competition and establishes dominance. It is inherited through genetics

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16
Q

Explain why aggression is ritualistic?

A

aggression is hazardous, Lorenz, is a display of aggression but not actual violence e.g. barring teeth

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17
Q

What is the innate releasing mechanism?

A

A neural network, sign stimulus e.g. colour, motor control circuits, fixed action pattern

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18
Q

What are fixed action patterns?

A

An innate sequence of movements. Stereotyped (same way), universal (same for all), ballistic (once triggered cant be stopped), Specific triggers, independent of individual experience

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19
Q

What are the 3 evaluative points for ethological explanations?

A

Stickleback Fish, Not relevant to human behaviour, Interactionist nature and nurture

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20
Q

Evolutionary explanations suggests aggression increases …?

A

Has yielded benefits for survival so is adaptive, procreation

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21
Q

What are anti-cuckoldry behaviours?

A

Man unsure if genetic father and at risk of investing in another’s child = worry of infidelity = prevents relationships with other men = jealousy and aggression

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22
Q

What does anti-cuckoldry cause?

A

Mate retention strategies

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23
Q

What are the two mate retention strategies?

A

Direct guarding and vigilance (vigilance over partner behaviour e.g. phone checking, restrictions of movements) and negative inducements (threats, financial control, violence)

24
Q

Explain male bullying.

A

Is physical, ensures access to females, suggests dominance, is naturally selected as more reproductively successful

25
Explain female bullying.
Is verbal, helps secure partner fidelity, ensure continuation of resources, downplays attractiveness of rivals, naturally selected
26
What are the 3 evaluation points for evolutionary explanations?
Research support, temporal validity, social sensitivity
27
What are the social psychological explanations for aggression?
Frustration-aggression hypothesis, social learning theory, deindividuation
28
Draw the frustration- aggression hypothesis.
Drive to goal, obstacle to goal, frustration , aggression, cathartic success/punishment Shows cause and effect
29
What are the 4 factors affecting the frustration-aggression hypothesis?
Motivation (more likely if highly motivated as invested), proximity (the nearer to a goal), justified (obstacle justifiable), displacement (not appropriate to respond, so displace on scapegoat, gain cathartic feeling without harm)
30
What are the 3 evaluative points for the frustration-aggression hypothesis?
Support for proximity (cut in line near the front, more aggression if closer), jigsaw puzzle study (male uni, unsolvable, confederate insults, confederate interferes, more intense shocks than control), soft determinism (choice over level and type)
31
What type of approach is social learning theory?
Neo-behaviourist - so believes we learn behaviour. Common in people with low self esteem
32
What does modelling suggest?
More likely to copy model we look up to, identify with (size) or is influential (parents)
33
What is observational learning?
When an aggressive behaviour is viewed and copied through mediational processes
34
What are the 4 mediational processes?
Attention, Retention (LTM), Motor reproduction (is it possible to do), motivation (reinforcement)
35
What is vicarious reinforcement?
I the model is rewarded in a way you find attractive, you are more likely to copy the behaviour as the viewer indirectly feels the reward too
36
What is self efficacy?
An individuals beliefs in their own ability to execute the behaviours necessary to achieve specific goals, increases each time aggression brings reward
37
What are the 3 evaluative points for SLT?
Bandura (72 children, 3 conditions, bobo doll), Charlton (TV in St Helenas), Nurture
38
How can you become deindividuated?
Through anything that hides our individuality from others or ourselves e.g. uniforms, hoodies, intoxication
39
Define deindividuation
The loss of sense of individual identity e.g. uniforms, hoods, dark, online, intoxication
40
What reduces personal responsibility?
When an individuals identification is restricted, so responsibility cant be given to specific person, lowering inhibition as less judgement. Acting in an agentic state
41
How can anonymity cause aggression?
Individual identification restricted, lower inhibition, as no way of identification so cant hold you responsible for your action. Free to act any way.
42
What are the two types of self-awareness and how do they cause aggression?
Private and Public. If one removed aggression likely, if both removed aggression highly likely
43
Explain private self awareness.
Concern for own thoughts, reduced by activities where we lose ourselves e.g. drugs or dancing
44
Explain public self-awareness.
Concern about the impression presented to others as evaluated by this, reduced by anonymity
45
What are the 3 evaluative points for deindividuation?
Zimbardos Stanford Prison Experiment (24, all aggressive), Dark Room Arousal Study (24 people for 60 minutes, control group light, challenges aggression, supports freedom of behaviour), nurture
46
What are the biological explanations for aggression?
Neural, hormonal and genetic mechanisms
47
What are the 4 media influences?
Excess TV viewing, violent TV content, TV effects arent strong, Computer games have a powerful effect
48
Explain excess TV viewing
Excess viewing = less social interaction = lack of practice/social norms on how to resolve conflict without aggression/conflict resolution
49
Explain violent film content
Aggression learnt through SLT (operant conditioning + vicarious reinforcement). Banduras 2nd study on screen
50
Explain why TV's effects may not be strong
Correlation between violence and antisocial. Only accounts for 1-10% influence compared to other sources (gaming)
51
Explain why computer games have a more powerful effect?
Player is active, it is directly rewarding, advancement in tech = realistic sounds/graphics, increase in violent content
52
What are the 3 explanations of media influences?
Desensitization, disinhibition, cognitive priming
53
Explain desensitization
Violence normally = arousal, sweatiness, adrenaline. Exposure to media = physical tolerance to violence e.g. less sympathetic, violence less noticeable
54
Explain disinhibition
Violence is taught to children as harmful, so are socially inhibited to it. Exposure removes restraints (disinhibited) as portrayed as rewarding/justified. 'social norm'
55
Explain cognitive priming
Exposure to aggression forms memory pathways (schemas) which can be sparked off/recalled when exposed to cues, as viewer primed to respond aggressively

Psychology (12 decks)

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