Discuss the Role of Neural and Hormonal Mechanisms in Aggression Essay

Support that serotonin leads to aggressive behaviour has been found, as human and animal research suggest that serotonin levels influence aggression and reddish behaviour. There seems to be a negative correlation as low levels of serotonin, increase aggressive behaviour. Although we cannot determine a causal link as the construct of aggression cannot be attributed solely to serotonin. The link between dopamine and aggression is not as clear as with serotonin. Although there does seem to be a relationship between high levels of dopamine and aggression.Dopamine is produced in response to rewarding stimuli such as food, sex and recreational drugs. Research suggests that some individuals discipline to find aggressive encounters because of the rewarding sensations it brings, caused by increases in dopamine. Researchers make believe also suggested that people can get under ones skin addicted to aggression, in the same way that they become addicted to food, gambling, etc. Ferrari et a l. made a rat fight for 10 consecutive days. On the 11th day it was not allowed to fight. Researchers found that in forecasting of the fight the rats dopamine levels had raised and serotonin levels had decreased.This shows that experience had altered the rats brain chemistry, gearing it up for a fight. This supports the stem that both neurotransmitters are involved in aggressive behaviour and suggests a possible cognitive ele workforcet in aggression i. e. the anticipation the rats experienced seemed to altar the levels of neurotransmitters in the brain. It is hard to extrapolate these results from animals to humans as it is unclear whether the influence is the same for both. Hormonal mechanisms such as testosterone and cortisol, are chemicals which regulate and control consistency functions.It is said that hormone levels affect a persons behaviour. An example of a hormone which affects body functions is testosterone. This hormone is found in both men and women, but in larger qu antities in men. Testosterone makes aggression more likely, but there is not a causal link. Nelson found a positive correlation between levels of testosterone and aggressive behaviour in phallic and feminine prisoners. However these levels were not measured during the aggressive act so we cannot be sure whether hormonal levels are a causal factor.Observational studies of children have shown that they tend to become more aggressive once they enter puberty and their testosterone levels rise. Pillay found that male and female athletes involved in aggressive sports have higher levels of testosterone than those involved in non-aggressive sports. Despite these findings we can question this using the basal and reciprocal model of testosterone. Did the male and females have high levels of testosterone and so were more competitive and dominant, whence enjoying aggressive sports as stated by the basal model of testosterone.Or were the high levels of testosterone in those involved in aggres sive sports exerted due to the aggressive sports, as stated by the reciprocal model of testosterone. Whether testosterone causes aggression has not been proved, although it does have an effect on aggressive behaviour. It also plays a big role in encouraging other behaviours i. e. dominance, impulsiveness and competition. These are all adaptive behaviours in human evolution and therefore very important for our survival as species.Despite this, this is a deterministic view of human behaviour. If aggression is completely controlled by neural and hormonal levels thus it follows that individuals dont exert any ingenuous will over their actions and that their behaviour is completely determined by their biochemistry. There are many individuals who have high testosterone levels, who may choose not to act aggressively even though they may be provoked. This demonstrates how a person can exert their free will and choose to override biological impulses.By only understanding aggressive behavio ur from a biological approach, these explanations can be criticised for being reductionist. Simpson argues that testosterone is meet one factor linked to aggression and that the effects of environmental stimuli such as heat and overcrowding have at times been found to correlate strongly. also social psychological theories of aggression, e. g. social learning theory and deindividualisation have also received a lot of research support, for example the studies conducted by Bandura and Zimbardo.