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AQA A-level Psychology Aggression Essay Plans

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Struggling with A-Level Psychology essays? These A*-standard aggression essay plans will help you structure your answers perfectly and secure top marks. Each plan is clear, concise, and packed with evaluation points, key studies, and critical analysis to impress examiners. Designed for maximum efficiency, these plans follow AQA mark schemes, ensuring you hit all assessment objectives. Plus, they are aesthetically laid out with neat formatting to make revision more engaging and effective.

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Serotonin
AO1:

• serotonin deficiency hypothesis
• Serotonin is a neurotransmitter involved in communication of impulses between neurons
• Works in frontal areas of brain to inhibit generation of impulses in amygdala
• Amygdala: anger, fear, and emotional response to sensory stimulus

• has calming influence
• Low levels means can’t control impulsivity
• Regulates PFC
• PFC =
• More aggressive easily
• can’t anticipate risk



AO3:

S: RALEIGH
• monkeys
• Increased tryptophan decreased agg


W: CONFLICTING EVIDENCE: HUBER
• incr serotonin levels in crayfish
• Incr time for fighting above natural


W: ANIMAL RES
• extrapolate to humans
• all forms of human agg? : verbal + passive agg


W: REDUCTIONIST
• only considers bio factors
• Ignores role of social + factors
• SLT:
• Agg learnt through observation and imitation of agg role models in our environment

, Limbic system,
AO1:

• reactive aggression
• LS: set of subcortical structures in the brain (incl amygdala + hypothalamus) involved in
regulating emotional behaviour
• Speed, and sensitivity, predictor of aggression

• Amygdala: attaches, emotional significance to sensory information
• fMRI scans : high amygdala activity during aggressive responses

• Hypothalamus: regulation of autonomic nervous system -regulates response to emotional
circumstances
• Damage results in inappropriate, aggressive, response and higher impulsivity
• connections to PFC - involved in anticipation of reward
• Regulate social behaviour and aggressive response
• Damage - reduce inhibition of amygdala + increased aggression


AO3:

S: LE DOUX
• electrical stimulation of amygdala in lab animals
• Fear + rage response


W: ANIMAL RES
• extrapolation

W: ROLE OF LIMBIC SYSTEM NOT CLEAR CUT
• OFC - self control

• COCARRO - psych patients w/ agg often red act in OFC


W: REDUCTIONIST - environment
• BANDURA

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Uploaded on
June 6, 2025
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2024/2025
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