The biological approach to aggression includes the belief that genetic factors play a role in aggressive behaviour and lies within an individual’s genetic make-up. There is supporting evidence of a genetic component of aggression. Psychologists have looked at twin studies to try and find evidence for a genetic basis o compare the degree of similarity of aggression between sets of monozygotic (MZ) twins and dizygotic (DZ) twins. In general it was found that aggressive behaviour is more highly correlated
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Outline and evaluate one or more social explanations of aggression. Aggression has been defined as ‘any form of behavior directed towards the goal of hurting or injuring another human being or animal that is motivated to avoid such treatment’ (Baron). Various types of aggression have been identified; person-orientated aggression‚ which is when the main goal is to harm another person and instrumental aggression‚ when aggression is used in order to achieve a desired goal. An important
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Outline and evaluate the biological explanation of depression. Biological explanation of depression can be explained by neurotransmitter dysfunction. Neurotransmitters such as noradrenalin and serotonin have been shown to be linked with depression. Bunney at al (1965) found that there was low levels of noradrenaline function in the brain of depressed individuals. Also‚ post mortem studies found increased noradrenaline receptors in the brains of depressed suicide victims. When there is low noradrenaline
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Outline and evaluate psychological explanations of schizophrenia (24 marks) Brown and Birley studied stressful life events in the role of relapse in schizophrenics. They found that 50% of people experience a stressful life event e.g. death‚ relationship break-up‚ job loss etc. in the 3 weeks prior to a schizophrenic episode. A control sample reported a low and unchanging level of stressful life events over the same period. However not all evidence supports the role of life events. For example‚
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Discuss Institutional Aggression between groups as an explanation for Aggressive Acts (16) Institutions may refer to a part of society‚ which is based on ethnicity‚ religion or some other significant feature. Violence tends to occur when one institution relationship with another is characterised by hatred and hostility. For example‚ the murder of millions of Jews during the World War 2 was due to the Hitler’s hatred towards all Jews. There identity’s were stripped completely and were not
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Outline and evaluate psychological explanations for schizophrenia (24) One psychological explanation of SZ was put forward by Bateson et al (1956) who looked at childhood as a base for developing SZ‚ for example the interactions children have with their mothers. His explanation‚ the Double Bind theory‚ states that schizophrenia can occur due to conflicting messages given from parents to their children‚ for example when a parent expresses care but does so in a critical way. This means that the child
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Discuss genetic explanations for aggression. Early research concentrated on chromosomal abnormalities but no specific genotype has been associated with aggression. Genes determine how much testosterone a person’s body produces and how quickly it circulates around their body. Genes also determine the synthesis of testosterone receptors‚ and how many and how sensitive such receptors are. The gene called monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) produces an enzyme which regulates the metabolism of serotonin in
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Outline and evaluate biological explanations of obesity Various explanations can be provided for the reasons of obesity‚ from biological explanations‚ to neurological and evolutionary theories. Even socio-economic reasons could give insight into why some people have a higher likeliness of obesity Evolutionarily‚ the thrifty gene hypothesis provides insight as to why many suffer from obesity‚ as it suggests that our current genes are no longer suited to our new environment. Modern day society is
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Evolutionary explanations of aggression Evolutionary psychologists argue that reproductive challenges faced by our ancestors can explain the aggressive behaviour seen in people today. A man can never be certain that he is the father of his wife’s children unless he prevents her having relationships with other men. This can explain why male jealousy is often cited as a cause of domestic violence. In many countries it is seen as acceptable to murder an adulterous wife or her lover e.g. among the Nuer
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Functionalism is a consensus structuralist theory‚ which sees the source of crime and deviance located in the structure of society. Although crime and deviance might be stigmatised in society‚ some sociologist think it is important to have it occur and there are some benefits to it. Durkheim (1982) argued that crime is an inevitable feature of social life‚ because individuals are composed to different influences and circumstances‚ and so not everyone can be equally committed to the shared values
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