Aggression

Front 1

What areas of the brain are associated with aggressive behaviour? Limbic system

Back 1

Hypothalamus- regulates hormones such as adrenaline, testosterone.

Amygdala- responds to threats.

Hippocampus- associated with memory such as memories of vendetas or anger.

Front 2

What were the aims of Buchsbaum and LaCasse 1997?

Back 2

To look at direct measures of both cortical and subcortical brain functioning using PET scans in a group of murders pleading NGRI. Expected to find murders would show evidence of brain dysfunction in their prefrontal cortex.

Front 3

What was the procedure of Buchsbaum and LaCasse 1997 study?

Back 3

PET scan of 41 criminals; compared to 41 controls. All 82 were kept medication free for two weeks before the scan. All were then injected with a glucose tracer and given a scan. The reasearcher then looked at the activity within cortical and subcortical areas.

Front 4

What method did Buchsbaum and LaCasse 1997 follow?

Back 4

Laboratory experiment, matched pairs design.

Front 5

What were the findings of Buchsbaum and LaCasse 1997?

Back 5

Within the cerebral cortex NGRIs has less activity in their prefrontal and parietal areas; more in their occupital areas. In the subcortical areas NGRIs has less activity in the corpus callosum and an imbalance of activity between the two brain hemispheres. In the amygdala NGRIs has less activity on the left and more on the right. Whereas NGRIs had more activity on the left within the thalamus compared to the right hand side.

Front 6

What was the conclusion of Buchsbaum and LaCasse 1997?

Back 6

NGRIs illustrated unusual emotional responses due to brain dysfunctions.

Front 7

Evaluate Buchsbaum and LaCasse 1997

Back 7

Doesnt show that NGRIs are not responsible for their actions, ignores the cause of brain damage, cannot be generalised to all offenders, used a quasi experiment, matched pairs design, objective results, unethical as patients are taken off medication

Front 8

Huber et al (1997) suport for biological explanation

Back 8

Increasing serotonin levels in crayfish increases aggression(time they fought).

Front 9

Crockett et al (2009) support for biological explanation

Back 9

Altered serotonin levels by manipulating participants diets and administering SSRI drugs. Those given SSRI drugs had higher serotonin levels and responded to moral decisions with more emotion and compassion. Lower levels caused higher levels of retaliation and aggression.

Front 10

What is serotonin and how does it link to aggressive behaviour?

Back 10

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that inhibits neuron effects on the brain. Decreased amounts of serotonin disturbs the inhibitory effects reducing self control. Crockett support.

Front 11

What is testosterone and how does it effect aggression?

Back 11

Testosterone is an androgynous hormone that regulates social behaviour. It is believed that increasing testosterone lead to an increase in aggressive behaviour.

Front 12

What is the MAOA gene and how does it influence aggression?

Back 12

MAOA is an enzyme that 'mops up' neurotransmitters in the brain by breaking them down to be recycled. MAOA-L has lower MAOA activity which often leads to aggressive behaviour.

Front 13

What is the Basel model of testosterone? supports biological explanation

Back 13

Individual levels of testosterone influences the level of dominance and aggression. Mazur(1998) conducted a meta analysis and found that men with high levels of testosterone are more likely to divorce or remain single, be arrested and use weapons in a fight.

Front 14

What is the reciprocal model of testosterone and how does it influence aggression? contradicts biological explanation

Back 14

Testosterone levels are influenced by changes in the levels of dominance. Mazur et al (1998) 2100 air force veterans were studied for 10 years. 4 medical examinations were given. Testosterone levels varied in the time eg reduced when married.

Front 15

Evaluate biological explanations for aggression

Back 15

Reductionist

Determinist

Nature debate

Objective- reliable

Research support

Front 16

Outline Brunner (1993) supports biological explanation

Back 16

Studied 28 men in a Dutch family who were repeatedly involved in aggressive behaviour. Found that they had low levels of the MAOA gene.

Front 17

Outline the ethological explanation for aggression

Back 17

Describes aggression as adaptive, inbuilt tendency that has evolved over time to prevent extinction. Eg a defeated animal will have to find new territory which,in turn, will lead to the species being spread out over a wider area.

Front 18

Outline Stephen Lea (1984) FAP

Back 18

Aggressive behaviour is:

Stereotyped and unchanging

Universal

Unaffected by learning

Ballistic

Single purposed

A response to an identifiable stimulus

Front 19

Outline Lorenz 1963 4 mainly behaviour drives

Back 19

Fear, hunger, reproduction, aggression within species

Front 20

Outline tinbergen 1951 sickleback study supports ethological explanation

Back 20

Presented sicklebacks with a variety of wooden models, some with red spots (looking like sicklebacks) and some without. Sicklebacks aggressively attacked the spotted model and ignored the plain model.

Front 21

Evaluate the ethological approach

Back 21

Deterministic, reductionist, comparative psychology, empirical, objective, historical validity, research support

Front 22

Outline buss' theory on parential investment

Back 22

Sexual behaviour is dependent on gender. Men can freely procreate giving them more opportunities to pass on genes- small biological investment. Women have limited ova and must be selective about their partners to ensure their offspring are well cared for- large biological investment.

Front 23

Daly et al 1982 support for evolutionary explanation

Back 23

Found that suspected infidelity of a partner was a key aspect for aggression and as men do not have paternal certainty they may be wasting resources caring for the child.

Front 24

Daly and Wilson 1988 support for evolutionary explanation

Back 24

Studied murder motives for individuals that killed their partners. Collected data on spousal homicide in Canada over a nine year period. Found that 812 cases the man killed his wife; 248 cases where the wife killer her husband. Jealousy was the motive for 24% men and 7.7% women.

Front 25

Buss 1992 support for evolutionary explanation

Back 25

Studied jealousy in men and women. Self report techniques used to see whether individuals would be more jealous by their partner having sex with another or forming a deep emotional attachment to another. 60% men were more jealous if their partner had sex; 85% women were more jealous by the attachment. Skin grafts were also conducted to check whether the participants were being honest.

Front 26

Outline dollard et al 1939 support for behavioural explanation

Back 26

Formed the frustration hypothesis, a social theory that argues that anger, hostility and violence are the outcome when we are unable to meet our goals. This theory views aggression as a cathartic psychological drive. Aggression is not always directly expressed toward the source.

Front 27

Green 1968 support for behavioural explanation

Back 27

Investigated the effects of frustration on aggression. Male uni students were given a jigsaw puzzle to complete with varying levels of manipulated frustration: an unsolvable puzzle, researcher interference and participant taunting. The participants were then given the opportunity to give electric shocks to the researcher each time they were wrong. Insulted participants gave highest shocks on average and all three groups gave more intense shocks than a non-frustrated control.

Front 28

Berkowitz 1989 support for behavioural explanation

Back 28

Frustration creates a readiness for aggression. The addition of aggressive cues makes aggressive responses more likely.

Front 29

Bandura bobo doll study support for behavioural explanation

Back 29

Matched pair, 3-5y/o, laboratory, non participant observation, questionnaire about child's behaviour

Children mimicked behaviour seen, imitation was stronger if model was same sex

Front 30

Gee and Leith 2007 support for behavioural explanation

Back 30

Conducted a meta analysis on 200 NHL games. Found those born in NA were more likely to be penalised for aggression- matching their hypothesis that those brought up in America were more likely to be aggressive due to their exposure to violence from watching the NHL.

Front 31

James bulger support for media influence

Back 31

2 year old that was tortured and killed by two 5 years olds that had watched a horror film.

Front 32

Doob and Sears 1939

Back 32

Asked participants about their reactions to frustrating situations such as waiting for a bus that then passes without stopping. Most Ps reported anger toward these situations.

Front 33

Pastore 1952

Back 33

Placed situations into justified and unjustified categories and then asked participants about their reactions. Justified frustration illustrated lower levels of anger.

Front 34

Evaluate the frustration aggressive hypothesis

Back 34

Not cathartic, application, cause and effect, deterministic, reductionist

Front 35

Bushman 2002 support for biological explanation

Back 35

Found that aggressive behaviour increased the likelihood of future aggression due to the memory of the event.

Front 36

Goldhagen 1996 support for behavioural explanation

Back 36

Argued that Jews were targeted during WW2 due to widespread frustration- aggression from abstract source(economy) couldn't be targeted so aggression was displaced toward Jews.