Biological psychology supporting and conflicting evidence
Theory Supporting evidence Conflicting evidence
Evolution as an explanation - Steiner 2016 - when - Cross cultural
of aggression it comes to research has shown
protecting one’s that differences in
offspring, there is no aggression exist, e.g.
difference in Kung San people of
aggression in males the Kalahari show
vs females limited aggression,
(protecting genes) Yanomami tribe of
- Wilson and Daly Brazil show
1996 - men use aggression,
aggressive aggression is used to
behaviours to retain show status in
partners and prevent Yanomami but
them from leaving discouraged greatly
e.g. checking in childhood by Kun
location San people
- Aggressive
behaviour can be
outweighed by
cultural norms
Hormones as an explanation - Dabbs and Hargrove
for aggression 1997 - testosterone
level was also
correlated with
extent of their
dominance in prison,
positive correlation in
87 female inmates
BUT correlational not
causational, elevated
T may be an
outcome of agg
- Dolan et al 2007,
positive correlation
between T levels and
aggression in 60
male prisoners
- Giammanco 2005 -
injection of
testosterone leads to
more aggressive
behaviour in many
animals including
mice, castrated male
animals less
aggression
- BUT difficult to
measure
testosterone as it
Theory Supporting evidence Conflicting evidence
Evolution as an explanation - Steiner 2016 - when - Cross cultural
of aggression it comes to research has shown
protecting one’s that differences in
offspring, there is no aggression exist, e.g.
difference in Kung San people of
aggression in males the Kalahari show
vs females limited aggression,
(protecting genes) Yanomami tribe of
- Wilson and Daly Brazil show
1996 - men use aggression,
aggressive aggression is used to
behaviours to retain show status in
partners and prevent Yanomami but
them from leaving discouraged greatly
e.g. checking in childhood by Kun
location San people
- Aggressive
behaviour can be
outweighed by
cultural norms
Hormones as an explanation - Dabbs and Hargrove
for aggression 1997 - testosterone
level was also
correlated with
extent of their
dominance in prison,
positive correlation in
87 female inmates
BUT correlational not
causational, elevated
T may be an
outcome of agg
- Dolan et al 2007,
positive correlation
between T levels and
aggression in 60
male prisoners
- Giammanco 2005 -
injection of
testosterone leads to
more aggressive
behaviour in many
animals including
mice, castrated male
animals less
aggression
- BUT difficult to
measure
testosterone as it
