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Hormones - Coggle Diagram
Hormones
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endocrine system:
produces several hundred hormones which interact with eachother and the nervous system to regulate short/long term processes
testosterone
AO1
- testosterone is produced in spurts
- so levels can rise very quickly, taking effect within minutes
- varies seasonally with some animals
males may be more aggressive than females as they produce more testosterone (though female ovaries do produce some testosterone)
AO3
Dabbs et al (1995) testosterone & crime:
692 male adult prisoners who committed sex & violence crimes had more testosterone than non violent crime prisoners
Kouri et al (1995) double blind testosterone placebo:
- young men received testosterone or a placebo
- paired with a fictitious ppt
- told each person could reduce cash received by other ppt by pressing button
- told fictious partner was pressing button
- those with testosterone pressed button significantly more
- experiment artificial, lacks mundane realism
- small sample of men, low generalisability
Bain et al weakness of testosterone & aggression correlation:
found no signifciant difference in testosterone levels between men charged with murder vs non violent crimes
Wagner et al (1979) castration in mice:
- castrated mice & observed lower aggression
- injecting with testosterone increased aggression levels
cortisol
AO1
- people with low cortisol are aggressive
- as their automatic nervous system is under aroused
- aggressive behaviour is an attempt to create stressful situations
- provokes release of cortisol
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- cortisol is a hormone produced in the adrenal glands
- main job is to manage stress levels
- also wakes us up in the morning
AO3
McBurnett et al (2000):
- found inverse relationship between cortisol & aggression
- 38 boys aged 7-12 that were referred to a clinic for behaviour issues
- boys with lower cortisol 3x more aggressive than those with higher
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- hormones explanation is reductionist
- doesn't account for nurture factors
- Bandura studies disprove nature only
- correlational evidence means you can't establish cause and effect
- hormones could just be a byproduct of aggression