AQA A-LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY: AGGRESSION EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WITH COMPLETE SOLUTIONS VERIFIED

AQA A-LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY: AGGRESSION EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WITH COMPLETE SOLUTIONS VERIFIED Terms in this set (139) Aggression Anti-social behaviour that can come across as angry and often unprovoked. What are the neural influences of aggression? Limbic system (amygdala and hippocampus) and serotonin. What is the hormonal influence of aggression? Testosterone What is the limbic system? Sub-cortical structures in the brain (including the hippocampus and amygdala) thought to be closely involved in regulating emotional behaviour. How does the limbic system act in terms of aggression? 1. Amygdala INTERPRETS THREATS and produces aggression or fear. (FIGHT OR FLIGHT) 2. Hypothalamus triggers PRODUCTION OF TESTOSTERONE when there is a threat. 3. The THALAMUS passes the warning to other parts of the brain, causing SEROTONIN LEVELS to drop and DOPAMINE LEVELS to rise. What is the role of the amygdala in aggression? It is responsible for EVALUATING EMOTIONAL IMPORTANCE of sensory information in order to prompt an emotional response. If this area is stimulated, it results in aggressive behaviour. What is the role of the hippocampus in aggression? The hippocampus is linked to LONG TERM MEMORY. This area gives context to response. An impaired hippocampus may cause amygdala to respond inappropriately as they work COLLABORATIVELY. A destroyed hippocampus results in no context of previous events so cannot evaluate. Serotonin A neurotransmitter with inhibitory effects throughout the brain. What is the role of serotonin in aggression? Serotonin has a CALMING effect on neuronal firing of amygdala. Inhibits firing of amygdala, PREVENTING AGGRESSIVE RESPONSE to situations. LOW LEVELS OF SEROTONIN = ANGRY Testosterone A hormone from the androgen group which is produced mainly in the male testes, and is associated with aggression. Describe neural mechanisms in aggression. 1. Limbic system The limbic system is a network of brain structures involved in processing emotions, including aggression. The amygdala plays a central role in assessing threats and generating aggressive responses. Amygdala reactivity predicts aggression (more responsive = more aggressive), and helps assess and respond to threats. 2. Serotonin in orbitofrontal cortex Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that has widespread inhibitory effects in the brain, i.e. it slows down and calms neuronal activity. Normal levels of serotonin in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) are linked with reduced firing of neurons, which in turn is associated with greater behavioural self-control. Decreased serotonin (deficiency) disrupts this mechanism, reducing self-control and leading to an increase in impulsive behaviour including aggression. Describe hormonal mechanisms in aggression. 1. Testosterone Testosterone is an androgen responsible for the development of masculine features. It is thought to be linked to aggressive behaviour for several reasons. Many people (not just researchers) have observed that men are generally more aggressive than women. Men become more aggressive towards other men at a time in development (after age 20 years) when testosterone levels are highest (Daly and Wilson 1988). Testosterone has a role in regulating social behaviour via its influence on certain areas of the brain implicated in aggression. Castration studies of animals show that removing the testes (the source of testosterone) reduces aggression in the males of many species. Giving injections of testosterone to the same animals restores aggressive behaviour (e.g. Giammanco et al. 2005). What is the role of testosterone in aggression? Testosterone is produced more around the age of 20-30 in males, which is when aggression is most prominent. It is thought to act on brain areas involved in controlling aggression. Males produce higher levels of testosterone than females, which may be why aggression is more prevalent in males. Neural mechanisms for aggression: -non-limbic structures are also involved in aggression P: One limitation of the limbic system is more recent research showing that non- limbic structures are also involved in aggression E: For example, limbic structures function together with the orbitofrontal cortex, which is not part of the limbic system. The OFC is responsible for impulse control and inhibition of aggressive behaviour. Emil Coccaro et al. (2007) found that OFC activity is reduced in psychiatric disorders involving aggression, which may disrupt its impulse-control function, in turn causing aggressive behaviour A: This challenges the idea that aggression is solely regulated by the limbic system, suggesting that multiple brain areas interact to influence aggressive behaviour. L: Therefore, the explanation focusing only on the limbic system is overly simplistic, as it fails to consider the role of other brain structures, such as the OFC, in regulating aggression. Counterpoint: However, a strength of reductionism is its scientific relevance For example, the principle of parsimony which reductionism relies on breaking down complex behaviours into simpler components, enabling cause and effect relationships to be established. By isolating the role of amygdala, researchers may use objective methods such as brain scans to provide empirical support. This supports the scientific aim of universality and objectivity. Neural mechanisms for aggression: +supporting research P: A strength of the serotonin explanation is its link to impulse control, which helps explain aggressive behaviour. E: Normal levels of serotonin in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) are linked with reduced firing of neurons, which in turn is associated with greater behavioural self- control. Decreased serotonin (deficiency) disrupts this mechanism, reducing self- control and leading to an increase in impulsive behaviour including aggression (Denson et al. 2012). A: This suggests that serotonin plays a crucial role in regulating aggression by enabling individuals to manage impulsive reactions. L: Therefore, the serotonin explanation provides a biologically supported understanding of aggression, emphasisig the role of neurotransmitter function in impulse control. Counterpoint – However, much of the research in this area is correlational, meaning that a causal relationship between serotonin and aggression cannot be firmly established. It is unclear whether low serotonin directly causes aggression or if another factor (e.g., stress, genetics) influences both serotonin levels and aggressive behaviour. This limits the validity of the serotonin explanation as a sole cause of aggression.