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AGRESSION - NEURAL/HORMONAL MECHANISMS - Coggle Diagram
AGRESSION - NEURAL/HORMONAL MECHANISMS
NEURAL/HORMAL MECHANISMS AO1
Research support
- found that surgical removal of the amygdala reduces aggression in previously violent individuals
Testosterone
- regulates behaviour by influencing certain areas of the brain that are responsible for emotion + decision making
The Limbic system
- emotions arise here and its function is to assess and respond to threats and challenges from the environment
The amygdala
- most important part of the limbic system for many emotions e.g. aggression and its reactivity is a good predictor of aggression
Neurotransmitters
- serotonin has an inhibitory affect on the brain and normal levels are associated with a greater self-control of behaviour/low levels of serotonin reduces the ability to control aggressive behaviour
Increased aggression = high levels of testosterone
High levels of testosterone lower activity in the orbitofrontal cortex
Orbitofrontal cortex
- responsible for higher order decision making
Testosterone levels are approximately 8 x higher in males compared to females
NEURAL/HORMONAL MECHANISMS A03
SUPPORTING STUDY ON MICE
A study which supports the role of hormones and investigated the link between levels of testosterone and aggression
When mice were castrated, behaviour became less aggressive
Then, mice were injected with testosterone and aggression had increased
This suggests that high levels of testosterone = higher levels of aggression
CORRELATIONAL STUDY
Mice study = correlational study so we can't establish cause and effect
This study only demonstrates that this only demonstrates a relationship between testosterone and aggression, but it does imply that testosterone plays an important role
STUDY ON MICE IS DIFFICULT TO GENERALISE TO HUMANS
Animals and humans have different psychological and physiological attributes
Human decisions are governed by conscious decisions, so we are far more complex + cognitively sophisticated compared to animals
Results may therefore differ when carried out on humans + validity is questioned of the evidence which supports the role of neural/hormonal mechanisms in aggression
AGGRESSION IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO OPERATIONALISE + MEASURE
Individuals often deny/conceal aggressive behaviour
Researchers then need to apply specific techniques that prevent these complications
The study of neural/hormonal aggression researchers have focused on the limbic system and hormone levels
Researchers have measured and isolated physical aggression; ignoring others forms of aggression e.g. passive anger, verbal anger and hostility
The ongoing issue of failing to operationalize aggression reduces the overall validity or the neural/hormonal theory for explaining aggression
REDUCTIONIST APPROACH
Only focuses on neural/hormonal mechanisms
Only considering the role of neurotransmitters and hormones, observation + imitation are ignored
It's also suggested we learn aggression (Bandura) through models, rewards, vicarious reinforcement ect.
Therefore, the neural/hormonal approach is an incomplete explanation