AQA A-Level Psychology: Aggression 146 Real Exam Questions
with 100% Rated Correct Answers
1. Aggression Anti-social behaviour that can come across as angry
and often
unprovoked.
2. What are the neural influences of Limbic system (amygdala and hippocampus)
and seroaggression? tonin.
3. What is the hormonal influence of Testosterone aggression?
4. What is the limbic system? Sub-cortical structures in the brain (including the hip-
pocampus and amygdala) thought to be
closely involved in regulating emotional
behaviour.
5. How does the limbic system act in 1. Amygdala INTERPRETS THREATS and
produces agterms of aggression? gression or fear. (FIGHT OR FLIGHT)
2. Hypothalamus triggers PRODUCTION
OF TESTOSTERONE when there is a
threat.
3. The THALAMUS passes the warning
to other parts of the brain, causing
SEROTONIN LEVELS to drop and
DOPAMINE LEVELS to rise.
6. What is the role of the amygdala in It is responsible for EVALUATING EMOTIONAL
IMPORaggression? TANCE of sensory information in order to prompt an
, emotional response. If this area is
stimulated, it results in aggressive
behaviour.
7. What is the role of the hippocam- The hippocampus is linked to LONG TERM
MEMORY.
pus in aggression? This area gives context to response. An impaired hip-
pocampus may cause amygdala to
respond inappropriately as they work
COLLABORATIVELY. A destroyed
hippocampus results in no context of
previous events so cannot evaluate.
8. Serotonin A neurotransmitter with inhibitory effects throughout
the brain.
9. What is the role of serotonin in ag- Serotonin has a CALMING effect on neuronal
firing
gression? of amygdala. Inhibits firing of amygdala,
PREVENTING AGGRESSIVE RESPONSE to
situations.
LOW LEVELS OF SEROTONIN = ANGRY
10. Testosterone
A hormone from the androgen group
which is produced mainly in the male
testes, and is associated with aggression.
11. Describe neural mechanisms in ag- 1. Limbic system gression. The limbic system is
a network of brain structures in-
volved in processing emotions, including
aggression. The amygdala plays a central
, role in assessing threats and generating
aggressive responses.
Amygdala reactivity predicts aggression
(more responsive = more aggressive), and
helps assess and respond to threats.
2. Serotonin in orbitofrontal cortex
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that has
widespread inhibitory effects in the
brain, i.e. it slows down and calms
neuronal activity.
Normal levels of serotonin in the
orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) are linked with
reduced firing of neurons, which in turn
is associated with greater behavioural
self-control. Decreased serotonin
(deficiency) disrupts this mechanism,
reducing self-control and leading to an
increase in impulsive behaviour including
aggression.
12. Describe hormonal mechanisms in 1. Testosterone aggression. Testosterone is an
androgen responsible for the devel-
opment of masculine features. It is
thought to be linked to aggressive
behaviour for several reasons.
Many people (not just researchers) have
observed that men are generally more
aggressive than women. Men become
more aggressive towards other men at a
time in development (after age 20 years)
when testosterone levels are highest
(Daly and Wilson 1988). Testosterone has
, a role in regulating social behaviour via its
influence on certain areas of the brain
implicated in aggression.
Castration studies of animals show that
removing the testes (the source of
testosterone) reduces aggression in the
males of many species. Giving injections
of testosterone to the same animals
restores aggressive behaviour (e.g.
Giammanco et al. 2005).
13. What is the role of testosterone in Testosterone is produced more around the age
of aggression? 20-30 in males, which is when aggression is most
prominent. It is thought to act on brain
areas involved in controlling aggression.
Males produce higher levels of
testosterone than females, which may be
why aggression is more prevalent in
males.
14. Neural mechanisms for aggres- Point - Research supports the role of neural
mech-
sion: anisms, particularly the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), in
regulating
aggression.
-non-limbic structures are also involved in
aggression
Evidence - Emil Coccaro et al. (2007)
found that individuals with psychiatric
disorders involving aggression
15. Neural mechanisms for aggression: had reduced OFC activity. Since the OFC
+supporting research plays a key role in impulse control, its
with 100% Rated Correct Answers
1. Aggression Anti-social behaviour that can come across as angry
and often
unprovoked.
2. What are the neural influences of Limbic system (amygdala and hippocampus)
and seroaggression? tonin.
3. What is the hormonal influence of Testosterone aggression?
4. What is the limbic system? Sub-cortical structures in the brain (including the hip-
pocampus and amygdala) thought to be
closely involved in regulating emotional
behaviour.
5. How does the limbic system act in 1. Amygdala INTERPRETS THREATS and
produces agterms of aggression? gression or fear. (FIGHT OR FLIGHT)
2. Hypothalamus triggers PRODUCTION
OF TESTOSTERONE when there is a
threat.
3. The THALAMUS passes the warning
to other parts of the brain, causing
SEROTONIN LEVELS to drop and
DOPAMINE LEVELS to rise.
6. What is the role of the amygdala in It is responsible for EVALUATING EMOTIONAL
IMPORaggression? TANCE of sensory information in order to prompt an
, emotional response. If this area is
stimulated, it results in aggressive
behaviour.
7. What is the role of the hippocam- The hippocampus is linked to LONG TERM
MEMORY.
pus in aggression? This area gives context to response. An impaired hip-
pocampus may cause amygdala to
respond inappropriately as they work
COLLABORATIVELY. A destroyed
hippocampus results in no context of
previous events so cannot evaluate.
8. Serotonin A neurotransmitter with inhibitory effects throughout
the brain.
9. What is the role of serotonin in ag- Serotonin has a CALMING effect on neuronal
firing
gression? of amygdala. Inhibits firing of amygdala,
PREVENTING AGGRESSIVE RESPONSE to
situations.
LOW LEVELS OF SEROTONIN = ANGRY
10. Testosterone
A hormone from the androgen group
which is produced mainly in the male
testes, and is associated with aggression.
11. Describe neural mechanisms in ag- 1. Limbic system gression. The limbic system is
a network of brain structures in-
volved in processing emotions, including
aggression. The amygdala plays a central
, role in assessing threats and generating
aggressive responses.
Amygdala reactivity predicts aggression
(more responsive = more aggressive), and
helps assess and respond to threats.
2. Serotonin in orbitofrontal cortex
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that has
widespread inhibitory effects in the
brain, i.e. it slows down and calms
neuronal activity.
Normal levels of serotonin in the
orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) are linked with
reduced firing of neurons, which in turn
is associated with greater behavioural
self-control. Decreased serotonin
(deficiency) disrupts this mechanism,
reducing self-control and leading to an
increase in impulsive behaviour including
aggression.
12. Describe hormonal mechanisms in 1. Testosterone aggression. Testosterone is an
androgen responsible for the devel-
opment of masculine features. It is
thought to be linked to aggressive
behaviour for several reasons.
Many people (not just researchers) have
observed that men are generally more
aggressive than women. Men become
more aggressive towards other men at a
time in development (after age 20 years)
when testosterone levels are highest
(Daly and Wilson 1988). Testosterone has
, a role in regulating social behaviour via its
influence on certain areas of the brain
implicated in aggression.
Castration studies of animals show that
removing the testes (the source of
testosterone) reduces aggression in the
males of many species. Giving injections
of testosterone to the same animals
restores aggressive behaviour (e.g.
Giammanco et al. 2005).
13. What is the role of testosterone in Testosterone is produced more around the age
of aggression? 20-30 in males, which is when aggression is most
prominent. It is thought to act on brain
areas involved in controlling aggression.
Males produce higher levels of
testosterone than females, which may be
why aggression is more prevalent in
males.
14. Neural mechanisms for aggres- Point - Research supports the role of neural
mech-
sion: anisms, particularly the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), in
regulating
aggression.
-non-limbic structures are also involved in
aggression
Evidence - Emil Coccaro et al. (2007)
found that individuals with psychiatric
disorders involving aggression
15. Neural mechanisms for aggression: had reduced OFC activity. Since the OFC
+supporting research plays a key role in impulse control, its
