biological intro

BIOLOGICAL APPROACHES TO

AGGRESSIONRECAP SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORIES

OVERVIEW OF BIOLOGICAL FACTORS

FOCUS ON GENETIC PREDISPOSITION TO AGGRESSION

EXPLANATIONS SO FAR…

• Social Learning Theory

• Deindividuation Theory

• Vicarious Learning e.g. Saw others rioting and gaining food, electrical goods etc.. as a reward.• Imitation - Therefore..felt it was acceptable

to join in• Self Efficacy/Monitoring – Prior positive

experience repetition of behaviour

DEINDIVIDUATION

• Normal constraints on behaviour are weakened when a person loses their sense of individuality• Crowds, uniforms, drugs & alcohol• Less likely to be identified & held responsible for aggressive behaviour• Anonymityrdeindividuationreduced inhibitions aggression

DEINDIVIDUATION THEORY

• Anonymity – Crowd; hidden identity; dark; city

• Agent – Belief in meaningful protest

• Diffused Responsibility – Belief that situations have led them to this position

“Biological psychologists explain human behaviour and experience through

human biology.”

• Hormones e.g. Testosterone • Neural Anatomy e.g. The Limbic System (reduced activation in PFC) • Neurotransmitters e.g. Serotonin and Dopamine• Genes e.g. MAOA – regulates Serotonin and Dopamine; XYY

INSTITUTIONAL AGGRESSION ARGUMENT

• Zimbardo’s argument…

• ‘The Lucifer Effect’

• Named after God’s favourite angel who fell from grace and became Satan