Aggression mind-map for A2 AQA Psychology

Aggression mind-map for A2 AQA Psychology

1. According to Bandura, aggressive behaviour is learned either through direct experience or vicarious experience

   • Learning by direct experience: if a child pushes another child and as a result gets something they want, the action is reinforced & is more likely to occur in similar situations in the future. these principles are similar to those of operant conditioning.
   • Learning by Vicarious experience: Observational learning.
     • When a child observes a role model behaving in a particular way and reproduces that behaviour. The child is then said to be imitating the behaviour of the model.
       • The aggressive behaviour is more likely to be imitated if the model if rewarded for their behaviour.
     • Bandura believed that vicarious learning is the most probable cause for aggression

2. social psychological explanations of Agression

3. BIOLOGICAL EXPLANATION OF AGGRESSION

   • Hormonal mecancisms in aggression
     • Testosterone
       • Androgens (male hormaones), such as Testosterone are considered important factors in aggressive behaviour.
         • This link is demonstrated in an increased violence of young adolescent males, which is when Testosterone levels peak.
           • Lindman et al (1987)
             • Found that young males who behaved aggressively when drunk had higher levels of testosterone than those who did not act aggressively.
               • Although, the research support provides positive correlations we cannot establish cause & effect because there are mediating factors which could influence aggression rather than testosterone.
                 • For example, in Lindman's study the alcohol may have influenced the aggressive behaviour. Furthermore, high levels of testosterone could be a consequence of engaging in aggressive acts rather than testosterone causing the aggression.
         • Research support for Testosterone
           • Archer 1991 analysed the results of 230 males over 5 studies and found a low positive correlation between testosterone and aggression
           • A larger meta -analysis (Book at al) of 45 studies established a mean correlation of 0.14 between testosterone and aggression.
             • ... However, Archer et al claims, that methodological problems with this study meant that a correlation of 0.08 was more appropriate.
           • Inconsistent evidence for Testosterone
             • Despite supporting evidence, much of it has only shown weak positive correlations between testosterone and aggression, with some studies that find no relationship at all.
               • For example, Bain at al, found NO significant differences in testosterone levels between men who had been charged with murder or violent assault, & those charge with non-violent burglary.
                 • Therefore the explanation should be applied with caution.
                   • - biased sample#
                   • Biased samples, Gender Bias, Reductonist
       • Testosterone has this effect due to its action on areas of the frontal lobe in the brain, which are responsible for aggression.
     • Cortisol
       • Second hormone involved in the increase of aggression. However, it may have a less of a direct effect than testosterone.
         • Cortisol is an important part of the body's response to stress and encourages social withdrawal
         • Cortisol is percieved to have a mediating effect on aggression
           • Without typical levels of Cortisol, testosterone levels are not stabilised
             • Low levels of Cortisol are therefore associated with higher levels of aggression; they are negatively correlated.
             • For example, there have been low levels of Cortisol found in habitually violent offenders. (Virkken, 1985)
       • Research support for the role of Cortisol
         • The moderating effect of Cortisol on aggressive behaviour is supported in a 4 year study of boys with behavioural problems. ( Mc Burnett et al, 2000).
           • Those boys with consistently low cortisol levels began antisocial acts at a younger age and exhibited 3x the number of aggressive symptoms, compared to boys with higher or flucuating cortisol levels.
             • Researchers concluded that Cortisol levels were strongly and inversely related to aggressive conduct disorder.
   • Neural mechanisms

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