Hormones

Question 1

what are hormones?

Answer 1

chemical messengers that transmit info around the body

they make longer time changes in the body

Question 2

how are hormones produced?

Answer 2

b glands-glands make up endocrine system-pituitary gland creates growth hormone/adrenal gland creates adrenaline

Question 3

what is the main hormone to cause aggression? what does this imply?

Answer 3

testosterone- men have more of it=men are generally more aggressive

Question 4

what did D’andrade propose about hormones?

Answer 4

present in all humans but higher in males leading to higher aggression

Question 5

What happens with antenatal exposure?

Answer 5

antenatal exposure to testosterone in womb shapes biology/brain-responsible for cell growth in the amygdala and hypothalamus

Question 6

what does testosterone do to the amygdala?

Answer 6

lowers activation threshold-makes it more active

Question 7

SUPPORTING EVIDENCE

Answer 7

Dabbs et al-measured testosterone in male prisoners-found higher levels in rapists and violent offenders than burglars
Dabbs et al- testosterone level in female prisoners-highest in cases of unprovoked violence/lowest in defensive violence (domestic abuse)

Question 8

CONFLICTING EVIDENCE

Answer 8

• cause and effect-unsure whether testosterone causes aggression or aggression causes testosterone levels to increase
• reductionist
• researched mainly through animal studies- not useful for human application

Question 9

OTHER EXPLANATIONS

Answer 9

• evolution
• psychodynamic theory
• brain structure

Question 10

USEFULNESS

Answer 10

individual differences- useful in explaining why some people more aggressive than others

Question 11

TESTABILITY

Answer 11

-objective-measuring hormone levels in blood is scientific and direct method