Biological Essay Plans Flashcards
(27 cards)
Evaluate biological theory of aggression
Frontal lobe :
AO1
Frontal lobe has been implicated in levels of aggression. It is involved in intellectual activities like planning and organising.
A03
Accident of Phineas Gage who had iron rod struck thru his head and became aggressive. Unrecognisable to friends /family.
Evaluate biological theory of aggression
Amygdala:
AO1
Amygdala is also responsible for aggression. It is responsible for memory and decision making.
AO3
Wong(1997) went to hospital full of criminals and did MRI scans to 19 criminals. Noticed there amygdalas were smaller compared to a control.
Evaluate biological theory of aggression
Corpus Callosum:
AO1
Role is to connect left and right hemispheres. Responsible for long term planning. Damage leads to aggressive behaviour
AO3
Raine(1997) mri scan on murderers and found not much activity in corpus callosum.
Evaluate biological theory of aggression
Testosterone:
AO1
Released by testes and is linked with aggression. Released by endocrine gland cause response in target organ.
AO3
Wagner(1979) castrated mice which meant no testosterone could be produced. Noticed there aggression levels dropped. Injected with testosterone and aggression increased
Evaluate hormones as a cause of aggression.
Testosterone
AO1
Testosterone hormone released by testes
AO3
Wagner(1979) castrated mice which meant no testosterone could be produced. Noticed there aggression levels dropped. Injected with testosterone and aggression increased
Evaluate hormones as a cause of aggression.
Cortisol
AO1
Hormone produced in adrenal glands and inhibits aggression.
AO3
Virkunken found low levels of cortisol in prisoners.
Evaluate hormones as a cause of aggression.
Pre natal exposure:
A01:
Pre natal linked to aggression
AO3:
Von Sal aggression was high in female rats who were next to male rats in the uterus
Evaluate the psychodynamic theory of aggression
Intro:
Argues aggression is unconscious drive caused by Thanatos in our psyche which consists of ego superego and id.
Evaluate the psychodynamic theory of aggression
Catharsis against:
AO1
Id expresses aggression but superego channels aggression to achieve catharsis
AO3
Bushman (2002) criticised students work. Half students channeled anger using punching bag. Other half didn’t. Both groups allowed to blast noise at confederate but punching bag group did longest.
Evaluate the psychodynamic theory of aggression
Unquantifiable measureables
AO1
Theory based on unquantifiable measurable as such as unconscious mind where Id and superego is so it’s a weakness.
Ao3
Psychologists prefer to use biological theory as amygdala exists and there is evidence.
Evaluate the psychodynamic theory of aggression
Case studies
Ao1
Theory is only supported by ideographic case studies eg little hans and Oedipus complex.
Ao3
Not generalisable to others as unique human experiences
Evaluate the psychodynamic theory of aggression
Catharsis support
Ao1
Catharsis is channeling aggression to socially acceptable behaviour.
Ao3
Pornography is cathartic for men as it redirects aggression away from sexual violence.
Evaluate Raines 1997 study
Intro
Aimed to see if difference in brain structure of people who have committed murder but ngri and non murderers.
Evaluate Raines 1997 study
Generalisability
Ao3
Generalisability is a weakness
Ao1
Study used 82 pps from California consisted of 6 schizophrenia, 23 brain damage. Suffers from cultural bias.
Evaluate Raines 1997 study
Reliability
Ao3
A strength of the study is reliability
Ao1
Raine made participants do a CPT for 32 mins which made sure all participants were in the same state of mind before pet scan was carried out. Therefore is scientifically credible as he has removed confounding variables
Evaluate Raines 1997 study
Ethics
Ao3
A weakness is ethics
Ao1
82 participants were not allowed to take medication for 2 weeks prior to the pet scan. Unethical as 6 participants had schizophrenic and 6 with a history of drug abuse.
Evaluate Raines 1997 study
Reliability (lab)
Ao3
Strength is reliability
Ao1
Preformed in a lab so a controlled environment so easily replicable. Raine noted every detsik of the study.
Evaluate Brengden 2005 study.
Intro
Aimed to see if aggression is related to genetics or social situation by comparing mz and dz twins. Mz split from same egg after conception and share 100% genes. Dz twins develop from separate eggs at the same time share up to 50% genes.
Evaluate Brengden 2005 study
Reliability
Ao3
Strength is reliability
Ao1
Used standardised procedure throughout . Teachers given same questionnaire and rated children using same point scale. Same statements - ‘gets into fights’ to rate physical aggression. ‘Spreads rumours’ to rate social aggression.
Evaluate Brengden 2005 study
Ethics
Ao3
Ethics is a weakness
Ao1
Children had to circle photos of classmates they thought were physically aggressive. Could of angered students or damaged relationships as mean age of 72 months.
Evaluate Brengden 2005 study
Generalisability
Ao3
Generalisability is weakness
Ao1
Mean age was 72 months so can’t be generalised to younger or older than 6. All twins from westernised cultures so can’t be generalised to African culture.
Evaluate Brengden 2005 study
Validity
Ao3
Validity is a strength.
Ao1
Inter rater reliability as teachers and students were asked to rate aggression. Brengden then did chi square to compare ratings and found a strong concordance.
Evaluate kety (1968) adoption study.
Intro
Aimed to see if there was a genetic basis for schizophrenia by comparing adoptive and biological families of schizophrenia sufferers to see if it was more common in biological or adoptive families.
Evaluate kety (1968) adoption study
Reliability
Ao3
Strength is reliability
Ao1
4 psychiatrists reviewed the medical record of 463 relatives. Diagnosed relatives to 4 categories. So inter rater reliability as all 4 had to agree on diagnosis. 4 cases they couldn’t agree so was not included.
