Aggression

Hypothalamus

Increased aggression

Stops aggression

Reduced aggressive incidents by between 33% and 100%

Raises aggression

Lead to reduced levels of aggression

Warrior Gene

Sry gene

Genetic predisposition to aggression

Genetic determinism

Testosterone

Animal behavior

Decreased serotonin disturbs the OFC, reducing inhibitory control over impulsive and aggressive behavior

They showed reduced aggression, indicating a link between serotonin function and aggression

The correlational nature of evidence and the neglect of social and environmental factors

Violent criminals have the lowest serotonin levels

Cortisol may inhibit aggression through fear, with low levels linked to sensation-seeking behavior and conduct disorder in teenagers

It oversimplifies aggression, neglecting genetic and environmental factors

Stressors, heat, and noise

Jealousy and domestic violence

Children imitated aggressive behavior influenced by vicarious reinforcement and disinhibition

Humans tend to be aggressive when they believe they can get away with it, especially when disguised or in a crowd

Aggression results from frustration, which is any event preventing an individual from attaining a goal and its reinforcement

It suggests that children learn aggressive behaviors through observational learning and modeling

Environmental factors

Lorenz

It cannot be generalized to humans due to the complexity of human behavior

Humans are not solely controlled by their genes and have the ability to learn and choose

Ethics, gender, and reductionism

Cultural differences in signs can change more quickly than evolutionary patterns

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False

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False

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The Limbic System, including the Hypothalamus and Amygdala, tends to act as an alarm system triggering an aggressive response to certain types of threats.

Giving testosterone to newborn female mice made them act like males with increased aggression when given testosterone as adults.

The PET-1 Gene is linked to the production of the hormone serotonin, which inhibits aggression. Damage to the gene in mice raises aggression.

Drugs increasing serotonin production lead to reduced levels of aggression, suggesting that low levels of serotonin are linked to increased aggression.

When the amygdala is stimulated electrically, animals show aggressive behavior, and when it’s removed, they no longer show aggressive behavior. Research found that removing the amygdala reduced aggressive incidents by between 33% and 100%.

Low levels of serotonin result in reduced self-control and increased aggression. Drugs increasing serotonin production lead to reduced levels of aggression, suggesting that low levels of serotonin are linked to increased aggression.

The 'Warrior Gene' refers to the MAOA gene, which is given this nickname due to its association with aggressive behavior and its presence in various populations.

Genetic predisposition to aggression raises ethical concerns about interventions like genetic engineering or chemical castration.

The interaction of the MAOA gene and abusive childhood experiences increases the likelihood of adult aggression.

Testosterone can masculinize aggression systems in the brain, and its levels in males are inherited.

Ethology studies animal behavior to understand human psychology, focusing on ritualistic signaling and Fixed Action Patterns (FAP).

Fixed Action Patterns (FAP) are instinctive behaviors triggered by specific stimuli and run their course to completion, indicating instinctive behaviors in animals.

Stressors, heat, and noise are environmental factors that can affect cortisol levels in pregnant mothers, potentially impacting childhood aggression.

Bandura's Bobo Doll experiments showed that children imitated aggressive behavior, influenced by vicarious reinforcement and disinhibition.

Social learning theory challenges behaviorist beliefs by suggesting that children learn aggressive behaviors through observational learning and modeling.

The frustration-aggression hypothesis proposes that aggression results from frustration, which is any event preventing an individual from attaining a goal and its reinforcement.

A criticism faced by evolutionary research on human aggression is that context-specific factors such as jealousy and domestic violence can control aggression, casting doubt on the idea that aggression is solely rooted in evolutionary patterns.

Viewing violence in the media may lead children to develop cognitive scripts involving violence and become desensitized to real-life violence.

Ethical concerns, gender issues, and reductionism are some of the criticisms faced by evolutionary research on human aggression.

David Buss has identified seven adaptations of aggression in humans, including self-defense, reputation management, resource acquisition, and preventing infidelity.

The Hydraulic Model fails to explain premeditated aggression and bearing grudges.

The complexity of human behavior means that the trigger of innate releasing mechanisms cannot be generalized to humans.

The deterministic nature of evolutionary theories on aggression is criticized as unethical and reductionist, and may not consider other contributing factors to aggression.

Proponents emphasize that humans are not solely controlled by their genes and have the ability to learn and choose, mitigating some of the ethical concerns.

The serotonin deficiency hypothesis suggests that decreased serotonin disturbs the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), reducing inhibitory control over impulsive and aggressive behavior. Research shows a relationship between low serotonin levels and violent behaviors, with violent criminals having the lowest serotonin levels.

Testosterone has been shown to affect certain types of aggression in animals, with high levels linked to aggression in aggressive boys, violent criminals, and military offenders. Elevated testosterone levels correlate with aggression, but social and cognitive factors mediate aggressive acts.

Cortisol may inhibit aggression through fear, with low levels linked to sensation-seeking behavior and conduct disorder in teenagers.

Criticisms of neural and hormonal research include the correlational nature of evidence and the neglect of social and environmental factors.

Genetic influences on aggression are evident in animal studies and twin studies, suggesting a genetic basis for aggression but also highlighting the complexity of criminality and aggression as separate constructs.

Ethical concerns exist regarding treating aggression with drugs, suggesting diet and exercise as more ethical alternatives.

Testosterone

Limbic System

serotonin

PET-1 Gene

amygdala

Drugs

serotonin

environmental

testosterone

teenagers

constructs

aggression

Bandura

MAOA

testosterone

aggressive

Sry

aggression

XYY

violence

ethology

aggression

instinctive

Bandura

ethics

infidelity

cultures

patterns

grudges

contract

Limbic System = Acts as an alarm system triggering an aggressive response to certain types of threats Hypothalamus = Part of the Limbic System, involved in triggering aggressive response Amygdala = Stimulated electrically leads to aggressive behavior, and removal stops aggressive behavior PET-1 Gene = Linked to the production of serotonin, which inhibits aggression

Testosterone given to newborn female mice = Causes increased aggression in adulthood Low levels of serotonin = Result in reduced self-control and increased aggression Damage to PET-1 Gene in mice = Raises aggression due to serotonin production link Removing amygdala in patients = Reduces aggressive incidents by 33% to 100%

Serotonin production drugs = Lead to reduced levels of aggression Amygdala stimulation = Leads to aggressive behavior in animals Serotonin deficiency = Linked to increased aggression PET-1 Gene = Linked to the production of serotonin, which inhibits aggression

Testosterone = Masculinizes androgen-sensitive neural circuits underlying aggression in the brain Serotonin = Inhibits aggression and low levels are linked to increased aggression Cortisol = May inhibit aggression through fear, with low levels linked to sensation-seeking behavior and conduct disorder PET-1 Gene = Linked to the production of serotonin, which inhibits aggression

Serotonin = Inhibiting impulsive and aggressive behavior Testosterone = Affecting certain types of aggression in animals and individuals Cortisol = Inhibiting aggression through fear and linked to sensation-seeking behavior Genetics = Evident in animal and twin studies, suggesting a genetic basis for aggression

Low serotonin levels in violent criminals = Relationship between serotonin levels and violent behaviors Rats with higher serotonin levels = Supporting link between serotonin and aggression Serotonin-enhancing drug reduces aggression = Indicating a link between serotonin function and aggression Genetic influences on aggression = Evident in animal and twin studies, highlighting complexity of criminality and aggression

Ethical concerns regarding drug treatment for aggression = Suggesting diet and exercise as more ethical alternatives Biological reductionism oversimplifying aggression = Neglecting genetic and environmental factors Neural and hormonal research = Correlational nature of evidence and neglect of social and environmental factors Evolutionary research on human aggression = Facing criticisms regarding gender and reductionism

MAOA gene = Linked to aggressive behavior Testosterone levels = Masculinize aggression systems in the brain Sry gene = Associated with high aggression XYY gene = Hypothesis for aggression debunked due to rarity in the general population

Fixed Action Patterns (FAP) = Instinctive behaviors triggered by specific stimuli, running their course to completion Ethology = Studies animal behavior to understand human psychology, focusing on ritualistic signaling and Fixed Action Patterns (FAP) Limbic System = Acts as an alarm system triggering an aggressive response to certain types of threats Serotonin = Inhibits aggression and is linked to the PET-1 Gene

Interaction of MAOA gene and abusive childhood experiences = Increases likelihood of adult aggression Criticism of genetic research on aggression = Include animal studies and reductionist and deterministic perspectives Evolutionary explanations of human aggression = Propose that aggression serves a purpose and has adaptive features Ethical concerns about genetic predisposition to aggression = Raises concerns about interventions like genetic engineering or chemical castration

Evolutionary explanations of human aggression = Critics point out that the deterministic nature of evolutionary theories on aggression is unethical and reductionist, and may not consider other factors that contribute to aggression, such as cultural and individual differences. Innate Releasing Mechanisms (IRM) = IRM trigger instinctive responses to certain signs in creatures, but this cannot be generalized to humans due to the complexity of human behavior. Hydraulic Model of instinctive behavior = The Hydraulic Model of instinctive behavior, proposed by Lorenz, suggests that aggression builds up and is released through fixed action patterns, but it fails to explain premeditated aggression and bearing grudges. Fixed action patterns = Fixed action patterns are influenced by environmental factors and learning experiences, challenging the idea of fixed and unchanging behaviors.

Eibesfeldt = Found that cultural differences in signs can change more quickly than evolutionary patterns, casting doubt on the evolutionary basis of certain behaviors. David Buss = Identified seven adaptations of aggression in humans, including self-defense, reputation management, resource acquisition, and preventing infidelity. Lorenz = Proposed the Hydraulic Model of instinctive behavior, suggesting that aggression builds up and is released through fixed action patterns. Berman et al. = Found that participants given a serotonin-enhancing drug showed reduced aggression, indicating a link between serotonin function and aggression.

Inter-group aggression = Explained by cognitive biases towards organized aggression and the military contract, according to Buss. Intra-group aggression = Mainly linked to male rivalry and sexual jealousy, considered evolutionary, as it is common in all human cultures. Cyber bullying = Suggests that aggression is not solely rooted in evolutionary patterns, showing that humans can develop new ways of expressing aggression. Self-defense = One of the adaptations of aggression in humans identified by David Buss.

Evolutionary explanations = Aggression may seem natural, but context-specific factors such as jealousy and domestic violence can control it. Social learning theory = Children learn aggressive behaviors through observational learning and modeling. De-individuation theory = Humans tend to be aggressive when they believe they can get away with it, especially when disguised or in a crowd. Frustration-aggression hypothesis = Aggression results from frustration, which is any event preventing an individual from attaining a goal and its reinforcement.

Viewing violence in the media = May lead children to develop cognitive scripts involving violence and become desensitized to real-life violence. Bandura's Bobo Doll experiments = Showed that children imitated aggressive behavior, influenced by vicarious reinforcement and disinhibition. Positive criticisms of Bandura's theory = Highlight its implications for understanding the causes of good and bad behavior in society. Negative criticisms of Bandura's experiment = Include concerns about ecological validity and demand characteristics influencing the children's behavior.

Environmental factors = Such as stressors, heat, and noise can affect cortisol levels in pregnant mothers, potentially impacting childhood aggression. Women with several brothers in town = Are less likely to be victims of domestic violence, indicating that aggression can be influenced and controlled. Cortisol levels = May inhibit aggression through fear, with low levels linked to sensation-seeking behavior and conduct disorder in children. Drugs increasing serotonin production = Lead to reduced levels of aggression, suggesting that low levels of serotonin are linked to increased aggression.