Studied by 1 person
Responsible for emotion & agression
If damaged, aggressive behaviour results
Normal levels of serotonin are inhibitory, so lead to greater self-control (reduced aggression)
Decreased Serotonin disturbsthis mechanism + reduces self-control, increasing impulsive behaviours (including aggression)
↳ found that low levels of serotonin are associated with increased aggression
Higher levels of serotonin are associated with decreased aggression.
Serotonin plays a crucial role in regulating aggressive behavior, according to the study.
↳ The research evidence is nomothetic, based on a universal evidence which disregards the need for idiographic insight. This is an issue as it doesn’t account for unique individual experiences
Responsible for the development of masculine features
Males are more aggressive to other males at ~20yrs
↳ Measured aggression levels in male mice before castrating them making agression levels
Testosterone was restored through HRT, and agression reached pre castration levels
Male mice given testosterone showed increased aggression towards other males
The amount of aggression was related to the dose of testosterone given
↳ Low levels of the hormone progesterone have been linked to female aggression.
A negative correlation was found between progesterone levels and self reported aggression
↳ Oversimplifies a complex behaviour down to high levels of testosterone, which doesn’t look holistically at all factors that can influence aggression
↳ Measured the concordance rate for aggressive behaviour in MZ and DZ twins
87% for MZ twins
72% for DZ twins
Caspi's New Zealand Study is a longitudinal study that provides evidence of genetics in aggression.
The study followed a cohort of 1,037 individuals from birth to age 26.
Those with a specific genotype were more likely to exhibit aggressive behavior when exposed to stressful life events.
This suggests that genetics play a role in the development of aggression.
Brunner's Dutch family study investigated the genetic basis of aggression in families with a history of violent behavior.
The study found that a mutation in the MAOA gene was associated with increased aggression in males.
However, the increased aggression was only observed in males who had experienced childhood maltreatment.
The study suggests that genetic and environmental factors interact to influence aggressive behavior.
↳ The MAOA-L gene suggetss that if a person has the gene + a childhood of abuse, the will be aggressive meaning they are not responisble for their actions
Adaptive
Ritualistic
Innate
Ballistic
Universal
Specific
Reduces competition
Establishes dominance
Tinbergen (1951) supports the ethological explanation of aggression
Stickleback fish have an IRM for other males who have a red belly.
They attack other males when they see their red belly, so Tinenberg put colour clay models in the water
Sticklebacks attacked all red belly objects regardless of the fact they looked nothing like fish
He proposed that aggression is an innate behavior that has evolved through natural selection
Individual Survival
Procreation
Men have 75% more muscle mass than females (Lassek & Gaulin, 2009)
Men are far more likely to die violently (Buss, 2005)
Men have more robust skulls and brow bridges than females
↳ Sexual jealousy is stronger in males (compared to females) due paternity uncertainty
↳ For females, they can be certain of maternity but worry about a loss of time and emotional infidelity
Direct guarding + vigilance
Negative Inducements
Shackleford
↳ Mate retention strategies are associated wih sexual jealousy and aggression
Shackelford's (2005) research found a positive correlation between men who used mate retention strategies (MRS) and their use of violence against their partners in heterosexual relationships.
The study surveyed 461 men and 560 women.
There was also a positive correlation in women between those who had jealous partners and being the victims of violence.
The research suggests that aggression may have arisen as another mate retention strategy, used to deter infidelity, and so supports the evolutionary explanation.
Dobash and Dobash's study in 1979 focused on sexual jealousy as a common trigger for violence in domestic relationships
They interviewed women who had experienced violence from their partners.
The violence was often triggered by the man's belief that the woman had not fulfilled her duties as a wife.
The violence was often part of a pattern of control and domination within the relationship.
De-individuation
Frustration-Aggression Hypothesis
Social Learning Theory
We attempt to achieve something and have a goal
Our efforts to reach a goal are blocked leading to frustration
This creates an aggressive drive which can lead to aggression
If we express trhis anger physically, verbally or by fantasizing, we experience catharsis
↳ This reduces our emotional tension
If the target of aggression is unavailable, we could displace our emotions leading to punishment
This then leads to further frustration
Harris (1974) conducted a study on the effect of proximity on aggression.
Participants were placed in a room with either a confederate or no one.
The confederate was either in close proximity or far away from the participant.
Results showed that participants were more likely to behave aggressively towards the confederate when they were in close proximity.
Proximity can increase the likelihood of aggression happening.
↳ Suggested that only unjustified frustrations produce aggressive reactions
He asked his students to how they’d react if a city bus failed to pick them up
The students would not be angry if the bus seemed full
The source of the frustration is key to whether it leads to aggression or not
It is not always appropriate to respond aggressively to the source of frustration
By displacing the aggression onto a scapegoat, catharsis is achieved
According to Berkowitz (1989), it is the negative feelings that causes us to be aggressive not the frustration
Unanticipated interference is more likely to provoke an aggressive response than an anticipated interference as the latter is experience is less unpleasant.
Agression is learned
Agression is copied by observing others
We copy behaviours from models (parents, friends and celebrities)
Attention
Retention
Production
Motivation
It results in an outcome (reward) they value
The model is powerful, respected and admired (by the learner)
The model is seen as similar to the learner (age, sex, interests).
The task to be imitated is neither too easy nor too difficult
The learner has low self-esteem or lacks confidence in their own abilities.
Children in the aggressive condition showed significantly higher scores than the non-aggressive or control groups
70% of children in non-aggressive and control groups showed no aggression towards Bobo
Boys were more influenced by a male model
Girls showed more physical aggression with a male model, and more verbal aggression with a female model
Modelling and observational learning were seen to lead to aggressive behaviour
Children (aged three to eight years) were observed through cameras set up in the playgrounds of two primary schools on the island
In 1994 (before the introduction of television), the researchers filmed free play in the school playgrounds and observed behaviour again in 2000
The researchers analysed the children’s aggressive behaviour and compared it to the amount of television that children were exposed and conducted interviews
Very little difference was found in children’s behaviour after the introduction of television to the island
This implies that children may learn aggressive behaviour but they may not exhibit it.
Socially Sensitive to teach children aggressive behaviour
Environmental Reductionism
Nurture side of the N/N debate
Uniforms
Groups/Crowds
Masks
Hoods/hats
Intoxication
The Dark
Bieng Online
Occurs in any situation wsere identification is restricted
Blame + Responsibility cannot be given to specific individuals
Lower Inhibitions leads to no longer conforming to social roles
Prisoners bring in their own social histories + traits into the prison environment
The traits influence their subsequent behaviour in the institution
For many prisoners, these traits are the reaosn they’ve been imprisoned in the first place
Some pre-existing conditions such as Alcoholism can affect the levels of aggression (Weeks, 1998)
Kane & Janus (1981)
These groups are likely to become disenfranchised and separate from mainstream norms and values that promote less aggressive ways of resolving interpersonal conflict
Many will live in in a subculture where aggression is valued, respected and reinforced
Deprivation
Deprivation of liberty
Deprivation of heterosexual relationships
Deprivation of goods and services
Deprivation of adequate living conditions
Deprivation of security
Deprivation of autonomy
The Popcorn Model
When an individual becomes heated, other prisoners become angry to and begin to ‘pop’
To reduce the aggression levels, the prison must find the intiial ‘heat’ that caused them to ‘pop’ in the first place
The Mangement Model
Aggression in prisons occurs as the reult of failed maagement, high staff turnover + lack of staff discipline
McCorkle et al. (1995) found that educative programs within prisons had positive effects for both prisoners and staff
Normally, when we witness violent actions we experience physilogical arousal associated with the SNS
When children reperatedly view aggression on TV or play aggressive computer games, they become habituated to its effects
Negative attitudes towards violence weaken, less empathy is felt for victims, and their injuries are minimised/dissmissed (Funk, 2004)
Krahe (2011)
showed participants violent (and non-violent) film clips, while measuring physiological arousal using skin conductance tests.
Participants who were habitual viewers of violent media showed lower levels of arousal when they watched the violent clips
They also reported higher levels of pleasant arousal and lower levels of anxious arousal
Lower arousal in habitual violent media users reflects desensitisation to the effects of violence, and a greater willingness to be aggressive.
Disinhibition explains that social inhibitions against using aggression as a means to resolve conflict are loosened after exposure to violent media
Aggressive behaviour is often made to appear normative and socially sanctioned
Berkowitz & Alioto (1973) found that participants who saw a film depicting aggression as vengeance gave more (fake) electric shocks of longer duration to a confederate.
This suggests that media violence may disinhibit aggressive behaviour when it is presented as justified (therefore socially acceptable).
BJ Bushman's (1995) research found that exposure to violent media can prime aggressive thoughts and increase aggressive behavior.
Participants who played a violent video game in Bushman's study were more likely to deliver loud and long blasts of noise to a confederate than those who played a non-violent game.
This suggests that exposure to violent media can have a priming effect on aggressive behavior.
