“Aggression is often said to result from the interaction between biological and environmental factors.”
Critically evaluate this statement with support from psychological theory and research.
Word Count:1800
Points to base the essay on:
Here are some points from the lecturer which should be taken into account when writing:
1. Is it innate or learned?
2. Neural Substrates e.g. :
Look at lecture slides attached to get a general idea-
Neurotransmitters like serotonin, prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and how they have been associated with aggression.
3. Cultural and gender differences in terms of aggression
E.g. males tend to show more overt physical aggression than females.
Also, females can show other types of aggression
Males and females are socialized different for example.
4. Role of the media
Violent TV, violent video games, violent pornography, are all found to be associated with aggressive behavior.
The idea is that it increases the propensity for aggression across individuals who already have a high level of engaging in aggressive behavior.
Generally, a steady diet of violent media can increase aggression across all individuals but has a particularly significant effect on individuals who already have that propensity for aggression
This is a good example of where we see the interaction between environmental factors and biological factors. So an individual might already have some biological factors of aggression and then they watch media which is an environmental factor which in turn increases the likelihood of aggressive behavior.
5. Finally: