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Unit 2- The role of hormones and research into genes in aggression :star:…
Unit 2- The role of hormones and research into genes in aggression
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Hormones
Hormones have a crucial role in the fight-or-flight response to perceived stressors by increasing heart rate, helping to fuel the aggressive response that may be needed to respond to a threat
Each hormone affects target organs or cell, for example the adrenal glands secrete the hormones adrenaline.
Hormones are biochemical messengers. They are transported around the body and affect any cells that have receptors for particular hormones, including target organs and other glands
Evaluation
:red_cross: A weakness is that it is difficult to determine testosterone levels. Justin found that baseline testosterone plays a less important role in human aggression than it does in animals, however it is used in human research. This is a weakness because this means the baseline measure used in many studies may not provide a valid indicator of testosterone level in relation to aggression.
:red_cross: A weakness is that correlation can't be used to establish a casual relationship. For instance, elevated testosterone may be the outcome of aggression, or both may be the result of changes in another hormone.
:check: A strength is evidence of testosterone effects in females. researchers measured testosterone in the saliva of 87 female inmates of a prison. They found a positive correlation between criminal violence and testosterone level. This is a strength because the aggression-testosterone link so often found in male prisoners was replicated in this study of females, this increases the validity.
:check: A strength is understanding the effects of hormones on aggression could lead to real practical benefits. If aggression is chemically controlled then it should be possible to manufacture a drug that influences the hormonal mechanism and reduces aggressive behavior. This is a strength because anti-testosterone drugs may have positive consequences for individuals, communities and whole societies.
Dual- hormone hypothesis
When cortisol is high, testosterone's influence on aggression is blocked
According to the dual-hormone hypothesis, the combined activity of testosterone and cortisol may be a better predictor of human aggression than either hormone alone.
Cortisol is secreted by the adrenal glands to protect the body against the effects of stress. This suggests there is an interaction between the systems responsible for regulating aggression and the stress response.
Role of testosterone
Animal studies have demonstrated that experimental increases in testosterone are related to more aggressive behavior in the males of several species.
A researches found a positive correlation between testosterone levels and aggressive behaviors in a sample of 60 male offenders in UK maximum security hospitals. These men mostly had personality disorders and histories of impulsively violent behavior
Testosterone has a role in regulating social behavior through its influence on areas of the brain implicated in agression.
Female aggression
Although testosterone levels in females are lower than in males, female aggressive behavior may still be enhanced by this hormone.
A researcher in 2011 found that women given a dose of testosterone behaved more generously and sociable in a lab-based negotiating game. It seems that the testosterone-aggression link in females appears to be more complex.
Conclusion
= There is certainly a range of evidence to support the link between high testosterone and aggression. Rather than causing aggression directly, testosterone interacts with other hormones and the nervous system to predispose the individual to aggressive behavior