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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
