agression

Question 1

aggression definition

Answer 1

• one of the most critical social problems facing the world today
• proactive and reactive aggression

Question 2

proactive aggression

Answer 2

• a planned method of getting what they want

Question 3

reactive aggression

Answer 3

• angry and impulsive
• accompanied by physiological arousal

Question 4

neural

Answer 4

involving a nerve or the system of nerves that includes the brain

Question 5

the limbic system

Answer 5

• a sub-cortical part of the brain which processes behavioural and emotional processes

Question 6

sub-cortical

Answer 6

parts of the brain that are directly beneath the cortex

Question 7

role of the amygdala

Answer 7

• involved in how we assess and respond to environmental threats and challenges
• the more reactive the amygdala, the more likely aggression will be shown

Question 8

amygdala
- fight or flight

Answer 8

• when the amygdala malfunctions, testosterone levels can increase making aggression more likely

Question 9

gospic et al (2011)

Answer 9

• used fMRI scans with patients in a lab-based game
• the game features two players, the proposer and the responder
• they found that when participants reject unfair offers, their amygdala’s responded in a fast and heightened way

Question 10

non-limbic brain

Answer 10

• involved in impulse regulation and inhibition of aggression

Question 11

role of serotonin

Answer 11

• serotonin is an inhibitory nuerotransmitter that dampens neural activity
• low levels of serotonin in the orbitofrontal cortex are associated with increased aggression
• this decreases self-control

Question 12

evidence for role of serotonin

Answer 12

Berman et al (2009)
- give their participants either a placebo or a dose of paroxetine
- lab-based game in which electric shocks were given and recieved in response to provocation
- paroxetine participants consistently gave fewer and less intense shocks than those in the placebo group
- only true when participants had a history of aggressive behaviour

Question 13

role of testosterone

Answer 13

• a hormone from the androgen group that is produced mainly in the male testes

Question 14

role of testosterone in aggression

Answer 14

• increased levels of testosterone are thought to be related to increased levels of aggression

Question 15

evidence of the role of testosterone in aggression

Answer 15

Wagner et al (1979)
- found reduced levels of aggression in male mice following castration
- additionally they were able to return aggression to pre-castration levels with injections of testosterone

Question 16

dual hormone hypothesis

Answer 16

Carre and Mehta (2011)
- the link between human aggression and testosterone is mixed
- high levels of testosterone only lead to aggression when cortisol is low
- when cortisol is high, testosterones effect on aggression is blocked and aggression is then reduced

Question 17

testosterone and the limbic system

Answer 17

• the cortex works to mediate levels of aggression
• moderating testosterone levels in response to environmental triggers
• if the amygdala malfunctions in any way,….
• levels of testosterone are raised
• this then makes aggression more likely