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Aggression
Your Name
Aggression
TAQ 1 (100)
Briefly describe the effect of a named hormone on aggression levels
Testosterone is a male sex hormone that contributes to increased aggression in humans and animals. Testosterone is also related to triggering of fight impulses resulting in increased aggression levels (D Olweus 1980). In case of a threat, the person will fight back depending upon the testosterone level. Low level of serotonin also contributes to aggression, violent suicide, and impulsive behavior (EH Cook Jr 1995).
Draw a flow chart to illustrate the neural mechanisms and brain areas involved in the aggressive response
There is a link between the frontal cortex and brain damage which results in increased aggression. An individual who has a high level of aggression has a low level of frontal cortex activity.
TAQ 2
Part 1: Contribution of genetic predisposition and Frustration-aggression theories on aggression (800)
Introduction
Aggression and violent behavior can depend on several social, cultural, biological factors. Aggressive and impulsive behaviors in an individual are greatly affected by genetic predisposition and evolutionary theories. A person who has been lived in a violent environment at an early age tends to show aggressive behavior later in his life. In addition to genetic predisposition, frustration also plays a role in his aggressive nature. The theory of frustration-aggression suggests that failure may result in aggressive behavior. In this essay, genetic predisposition and frustration will be linked to David’s aggression.
Discussion
According to the theories of frustration-aggression, an individual shows aggression when he fails to achieve his goal. When a person is not allowed to show his emotions or reaction, frustration is building up in his mind. Whenever the same person has a chance to show his reaction, he will show aggression due to increased frustration (Berkowitz 1989). For example; if a pressured vessel is filled up with water and then heated, the pressure will build up inside the vessel. As it is known that water boiled to the gaseous state upon heating at the 100 degree Celsius. In Gaseous state, the particles of water move more freely as compared to that in the liquid state. Being locked in a pressure vessel the water boils quicker and will reach a point when no water molecule can convert in a gaseous state. At this point, water needs more room to change its state. If the temperature of the vessel is further increased, the vessel can explode. This explosion of the vessel can be very dangerous and can harm a person standing near a vessel. Frustration in a human being shows similar nature as that of pressure in the vessel. When frustration reaches a dangerous level, a person may start bursting in violet behavior (Goldstein 1974).
In the case of David, he had no power or ability to show his reaction while living in the home with his parents. Continuous beating of mom by the father raises the frustration of David which later results in the aggressive nature of David. With continuous practice of watching abusive relation of his parents while keeping his emotion locked up inside, David's ability to withhold his aggression weakens with time. As a result of looked emotion, David develops an aggressive nature. It is normal human nature that he does not stand up against the stronger individual. Moreover, the father is physically stronger than David and there is no chance that he can stand up against the dad. David no longer fears his dad at a caring home which results in showing aggressive nature. Moreover, David tends to show empathy to other children who had been a victim of bullies. This reflects David's support toward the victims which he failed in the case of his mother.
Aggression can be defined as a behavior that brings harm or pain to someone. According to heritability studies an individual’s behaviors are greatly affected by the genetics. Predisposition is a characteristic that affects an individual because of the condition of the environment he/she has raised in. The negative environment may block genetic predisposition (AF Patenaude 2002). Moreover, Twin studies theory can be very helpful for understanding the effect of the genetic predisposition on aggression. If two identical twins are separated on birth and are raised in a different environment, they both will show different behavior at later age. If one kid is raised in a violent and aggressive environment, like the case of David, he will most probably show toxic and behavior towards others. Similarly, if a kid is raised in a healthy environment, he will show more soft behavior toward others. Twin studies explain that a negative environment, especially in early age, greatly effects the development of a person’s nature and his emotional state. When a person is showing aggressive behavior, the dysfunction of his neural circuits which are responsible for his emotions can be observed. Excessive reactivity in those neural circuits increases the chance of aggressive behaviors.
David has been watching an abusive relationship between his parents, his father has always shown aggressive behavior towards his mother. Upon separation of David from his parents, he is showing violent behavior towards many in a children's care facility. Aggressive behavior that David had learned from the relationship of his parents is reflected in his behavior towards others. From his father, he had learned that aggression is an answer to any disagreement. This is an example of the effect of a negative environment on the genetic disposition of a person. David is a victim of psychological and emotional damage. David had seen his mother being beaten up by his dad, and he had no power to take action against it. Now that David can show his reaction in a care facility he shows for aggression as a response to any situation that he thinks is negative. Whenever it is observed by David that a child is being bullied by someone, he always steps up against the bully and shows empathy to the victim. David sees the victim as helpless he and his mom were when they were living with their dad. Due to his genetic predisposition, David always shows kindness to the victim.
Conclusion
In this essay, David’s aggression is linked with two theories; genetic predisposition and frustration-aggression. David has been in a violent environment since his early childhood and he has witnessed an abusive relationship between his parents. According to genetic predisposition theory, David's aggression has been a result of his growth in a negative environment. Also, according to the frustration-aggression theory, David has been keeping his emotions locked inside for a long period. Upon his freedom form the negative environment his oppressed emotion results in to aggressive. Genetic predisposition offers a complete explanation of David's process of aggression. David's aggression is a result of a negative environment in which he has been raised.
Part 2: Strategy to overcome aggression (300)
Sr. No.
Theory of aggression
Name and a brief description of a strategy
Application to the case study
1.
Genetic predisposition aggression
Cognitive therapy
It focuses on present communication, behavior, and present thinking of the patient (AT 1979).
David's cognitive skills will be improved using cognitive therapy. The relation between his behavior thoughts and emotion will be recognized and then strategy to overcome his behavior will be devised.
2.
Frustration- aggression theory
Behavior therapy
It helps change the unhealthy behavior of an individual (MR Goldfried 1994)
Through training and acceptance of David behavior, a new set of skills will be developed to overcome his aggression
Learning theory
Person-centered therapy
A person is an expert of himself/herself (CR 2001)
The healthy bond between David and the therapist will result in gaining David's confidence. Once the confidence is gained, the therapist will encourage David to evaluate himself
References
BIBLIOGRAPHY AF Patenaude, A. G. F. C., 2002. Genetic testing and psychology: new roles, new responsibilities.. American Psychologist.
Beck, A., 1979. Cognitive therapy of depression, s.l.: s.n.
Berkowitz, L., 1989. Frustration-aggression hypothesis: Examination and reformulation.. Psychological bulletin.
D Olweus, Å. M. D. S., 1980. Testosterone, aggression, physical, and personality dimensions in normal adolescent males.. Psychosomatic.
EH Cook Jr, M. S. T. E. A. U., 1995. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and whole-blood serotonin levels: effects of comorbidity. Psychiatry.
Goldstein, M., 1974. Brain research and violent behavior: A summary and evaluation of the status of biomedical research on brain and aggressive violent behavior. Archives of neurology.
MR Goldfried, G. D., 1994. Clinical behavior therapy, Exp. s.l.:s.n.
Rogers, C., 2001. Client-centered/person-centered approach to therapy. Voprosy Psikhologii.
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