AQA A Level Psychology - Aggression Flashcards

Flashcards based on A* Evaluation Notes for Aggression, covering neural, hormonal, genetic, ethological, evolutionary, frustration-aggression, social learning, and de-individuation explanations.

What does electrically stimulating the amygdala in animals trigger?

Aggression.

What type of research is most human research on neural mechanisms in aggression?

Correlational.

Name one hormone that correlates with aggression.

Testosterone.

What does the Dual Hormone Hypothesis suggest is needed for aggression?

High testosterone and low cortisol.

What gene has been linked to aggression in animal studies?

MAOA gene.

What did Caspi et al. find increased aggression in MAOA-L individuals?

Maltreatment as children.

Is XYY syndrome strongly linked to aggression?

No.

According to Vassos, is aggression caused by a single gene?

No, it may be polygenic.

What are Fixed Action Patterns (FAPs)?

Innate, automatic aggressive behaviors.

What did Tinbergen's stickleback study show?

Sticklebacks responded aggressively only to red-bellied rivals.

What evidence challenges the universality of aggression?

Cross-cultural differences.

What limits generalizing animal aggression studies to humans?

Human aggression is influenced by culture, learning, and morals.

What do ethologists now favor over 'Fixed Action Patterns'?

Modal action patterns or behavioural tendencies.

What is sexual jealousy linked to in evolutionary explanations of aggression?

Male aggression.

What did Shackelford's survey find?

The more men used mate retention strategies, the more likely they were to be violent towards partners.

What type of violence does evolutionary theory struggle to explain?

Excessive violence or torture.

What is a potential ethical issue with evolutionary explanations of aggression?

Social sensitivity due to reinforcing harmful stereotypes.

What gender bias exists in evolutionary explanations of aggression?

Focuses mostly on men.

What is the Frustration-Aggression hypothesis?

Aggression is the result of frustration.

What did Geen's study on frustration and aggression find?

Frustrated participants gave stronger shocks.

What did Bushman find about venting frustration?

It increased aggression rather than reducing it.

What individual differences does the Frustration-Aggression hypothesis ignore?

Not everyone reacts to frustration with aggression; some may cry or withdraw.

What is Social Learning Theory (SLT)?

Aggression is learned through observation and imitation.

What did Bandura's Bobo doll study demonstrate?

Children imitated aggression from adults, especially when rewarded.

How does SLT explain cultural variations in aggression?

Due to differences in aggressive role models.

What type of aggression does SLT struggle to explain?

Spontaneous aggression from emotion.

What biological evidence does SLT neglect?

Evidence from MAOA, testosterone, etc.

What is de-individuation?

Loss of self-awareness and personal responsibility in a group.

What did Zimbardo's study with hooded participants find?

Hooded participants were more aggressive.

What did Johnson & Downing's study on uniforms find?

Nurses were less aggressive, suggesting role norms matter.

What is an alternative view of de-individuation?

It may cause stronger conformity to the group’s norms.

What is a critique of the deterministic nature of de-individuation theory?

People can still make moral decisions even when anonymous.

What does destroying the amygdala do to aggressive responses?

Stops aggressive responses.

What brain structure showed abnormal activity in murderers' limbic systems, according to Raine's PET scan studies?

Amygdala.

Why is the interactionist approach of the Dual Hormone Hypothesis more realistic?

It considers the interplay of multiple hormones rather than attributing aggression to a single factor.