BioPsych - Pack 3 AGGRESSION

Question 1

Aronson’s 1977 definition of aggression:

Answer 1

An intentional action aimed at doing harm or causing pain. May be physical or verbal, might succeed in its goal or not.

Question 2

What factors does it focus on?

Biological explanations of aggression

Answer 2

• Hormone levels
• Abnormalities in structure of brain + genetics
• Suggests that aggression is innate/ result of brain damage.

Question 3

The Ego

Answer 3

• Rational
• Tries to balance conflicting demands of superego and id
• Operates according to reality principle

Question 4

The Superego

Answer 4

• Imposes moral standards
• Included the conscience
• Operates according to morality principle
• Takes on ethics of other people

Question 5

The Id

Answer 5

• Operates on pleasure principle
• Focuses on satisfying instinctual urges

Question 6

Assumptions of Freud’s psychodynamic approach

Answer 6

• Our awareness is in layers
• Our mental processes drive behaviour
• Sex is a motivating force in human behaviour
• Things that we find upsetting are represses and hidden in our unconcious but may still cause dysfunctional behaviours

Question 7

5 defence mechanisms proposed by Freud

Answer 7

• Displacement (diverting emotions from OG target to another
• Denial (rejection)
• Repression (push info out of concious)
• Projection
• Regression (engaging in earlier stage behaviour)

Question 8

Eros

Answer 8

Motivates us to live and love. Includes libido.

Question 9

Thanatos

Answer 9

Inborn destructive drive to return us to an ‘inorganic’ state. ‘Death instinct’.

Question 10

Catharsis

Answer 10

Process of releasing negative energy from the mind. Happens when we watch aggressive behaviour, releasing the pent-up aggression.

Question 11

Evaluation of Psychodynamic Approach: Strengths

Answer 11

• Evidence in support: case studies resulting in lots of qualitative data e.g. ‘little Hans’ case study.
• Practical applications - psychotherapy

Question 12

Evaluation of Psychodynamic Approach: Weaknesses

Answer 12

• Low scientific credibility - case studies open to subjective interpretation therefore* limited validity*
• Case studies only have one participant: difficult to generalise, may not be representative of target population
  e.g. ‘little Hans’ case study
• Not falsifiable: Ideas not directly observable/measurable (e.g. Thanatos, Eros, Id etc.)
• Deterministic - suggests that aggresssion is not subject to free will; implies criminals cannot be held responsible for behaviour