IB Psychology: Criminology and the Biological Approach

This set of vocabulary flashcards covers key terms, brain structures, biological processes, and research methodologies related to Criminology and the Biological Approach in IB Psychology.

Causality

In psychology, when one factor is responsible for a direct change in another.

Impulsive Aggression

A type of aggression where an individual reacts violently without thinking.

Premeditated Aggression

A type of aggression where someone carefully plans out their violent acts.

Localisation of Function

The theory that different functions of the brain are located in specific, specialized areas.

Prefrontal Cortex (PFC)

The part of the brain located at the very front, primarily responsible for thinking, decision-making, predicting consequences, and inhibiting impulsive behaviour.

Amygdala

The emotional centre of the brain that detects threats, activates the fight-or-flight response, and handles emotions like empathy, fear, and anger.

Neuroplasticity

The brain's ability to change and reorganize itself as a result of experience or environment.

Neurons

Individual brain cells that communicate with each other to develop brain regions; humans are born with approximately $85$ to $86$ billion of them.

Neurocriminology

The use of neuroscience and brain imaging technologies to understand and explain criminal behaviour.

MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)

A technology that measures brain structure, including the size and shape of brain matter.

fMRI (Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging)

A technology that measures the level and location of brain activity in specific regions during tasks.

Hormones

Chemical messengers released by the endocrine system that travel through the bloodstream to affect biology and behaviour.

Testosterone

The male sex hormone linked with aggression, status seeking, and libido, produced in the testes or ovaries.

Social Threat

A challenge posed by someone that is scary, dangerous, or threatening to an individual's social status.

Neurotransmitters

Chemical messengers that facilitate communication between neurons by crossing the synaptic cleft.

Synaptic Cleft

The narrow space between two neurons where neurotransmitters are released to bind with receptor sites.

Reuptake

The process by which neurotransmitters are reabsorbed into the presynaptic neuron to be recycled and reused.

Inhibitory Response Control

The cognitive ability to think carefully about one's responses and to inhibit violent or negative actions when provoked.

Serotonin Deficit Hypothesis of Aggression

The theory suggesting that low levels of serotonin cause increased aggression.

Moderating Variable

A third variable that influences the strength or direction of the relationship between two other factors.

Concordance Rate

The frequency with which two twins match or concur with each other on a specific behaviour.

Monozygotic (MZ) Twins

Identical twins who share $100\%$ of their genetic material.

Dizygotic (DZ) Twins

Fraternal twins who share approximately $50\%$ of their genetic material.

MAOA Gene

Commonly known as the 'warrior gene,' it encodes for an enzyme that breaks down monoamine neurotransmitters like serotonin.

Animal Model

The use of animals in research to represent processes or tests that help explain human behaviour.

Genetic Knockout

An animal that has been genetically modified to have a specific gene removed or 'knocked out' to observe the resulting behavioural changes.

Biological Reductionism

The approach of reducing complex human behavior to a single, specific biological cause, such as a gene or a brain region.

Internal Validity

The extent to which a study is well-controlled and successfully isolates the independent variable to demonstrate causality.

External Validity

Also known as generalisability; the extent to which findings from one study can be applied to different people, places, or situations.

The Three Rs

The ethical guidelines for animal research consisting of Reduction, Refinement, and Replacement.

In Silico

Research methods conducted in or on a computer using digital simulations rather than live animals.