To what extent is aggression caused by nature?

(8)

Our hormones such as high testosterone levels can be linked to aggression. Dabbs et
aI. (1987) measured testosterone in the saliva of 89 male prisoners. They found 10 of
the 11 prisoners involved in violent crime had high levels of testosterone compared
with 9 in 11 of those with low testosterone levels being involved in non-violent crime.
Therefore, this suggests that high levels of the testosterone is linked to aggressive
behaviour in humans and hormones (our biology, our nature) are thus implicated in
aggression.

However, these types of studies cannot make a cause-and-effect relationship between

aggression and high levels of testosterone since it is correlational. Therefore, there are
other influences such as environmental factors that can affect why aggressive
behaviour might be shown instead of our biological nature.

Furthermore, in the learning approach, Bandura concluded that behaviour such as

aggression can be learned by imitation from an aggressive role model. His 1961 Bobo
doll study found that when females and males had an aggressive male role model, they
had shown 7.2 and 25.8 aggressive acts respectively compared to the control group
with no role model with 1.2 and 2 aggressive acts. Therefore, there is clear link
between how aggression can be learnt and imitated through the environment rather
than due to our biological makeup.

However, evolution and the theory of natural selection suggests that humans are
aggressive due to our genes. Evolutionary explanations of aggression propose
that aggression serves an important function for individual survival in the past due
to being able to gather food, shelter, a mate etc. Thus, these genes in someone with
this aggressive tendency survive to be passed on through reproduction. Therefore, this
explains how by nature we are aggressive since in the past it was an essential
behaviour in order to survive.

In conclusion, to a certain extent our biological nature does cause aggression however,
it is not the sole reason as there are other social explanations and environmental factors
as well.

Assess the extent to which aggression is caused by individual differences (8)

Phineas Gage was a railroad foreman and one day had an accident where an iron rod
pierced his prefrontal cortex - front of his left eye and skull. After he survived, it was
said that Phineas had changed from a mild-mannered and hard-working individual into
a “profane” and “aggressive” individual. This suggests that the prefrontal cortex is
important to regulate aggression. Therefore individual differences where someone’s
prefrontal cortex is damaged could be the reason for how aggressive their behaviour is.
However, because a case study like Phineas Gage deals with only one person/event it
is difficult to be sure whether the conclusions linking aggression and the prefrontal
cortex is representative of the wider population. Threfore, the individual differences
that may have caused aggression for Phineas Gage may not be applicable and the same
for another person who also has their prefrontal cortex damaged.

Dabbs et aI. (1987) measured testosterone in the saliva of 89 male prisoners. They
found 10 of the 11 prisoners involved in violent crime had high levels of testosterone
compared with 9 in 11 of those with low testosterone levels being involved in non-
violent crime. Therefore, individual differences between whether you have high levels
of testosterone could be linked to aggressive behaviour.

However, these types of studies cannot make a cause-and-effect relationship between

aggression and high levels of testosterone since it is correlational. Therefore, there
could be other factors causing the aggressive behaviour and so individual differences
of the levels of testosterone may not be the reason for the aggressive behaviour and it
could be environmental factors instead.

In conclusion, to a certain extent individual differences can cause people to be more or

less aggressive than others, however we all have different environmental exposures
that can also have an impact on this behaviour.

Assess the extent to which Freud's view of personality develops individual

differences (8)

According to Freud, the id consists of urges and desires and exists entirely in

the unconscious mind. The id resembles the function of the limbic system in the
human brain: this is the brain's "emotion centre" and is the source of our appetites, fear
and aggression. He states that some people have strong id’s and others have weak
ones. Therefore, this individual difference between the strength of your ID could cause
different behavioural actions for example, since the Id is the source of our aggression,
someone with a strong ID may tend to show more aggressive acts.

The super-ego is based on "the morality principle" and acts as "the voice of
conscience". It tells the ego whether its thoughts are morally acceptable or not. For
example, the super-ego may restrict the ego from using aggression if morally wrong,
but if it is not functional, that person may have a more aggressive personality.
Therefore, individual differences between whether someone has a functional super-ego
or not could lead to them acting differently.
However, Freud used unscientific methods to develop his theory. The unconscious
mind cannot be accessed, and the id, ego and superego cannot be measured. Therefore,
this is a weakness because it lacks scientific credibility as his concepts cannot be
rigorously tested or falsified and so any conclusions drawn lack integrity.
Furthermore, individual differences in personality can be explained by hormones.
Dabbs et aI. (1987) measured testosterone in the saliva of 89 male prisoners. They
found 10 of the 11 prisoners involved in violent crime had high levels of testosterone
compared with 9 in 11 of those with low testosterone levels being involved in non-
violent crime. Therefore, individual differences between whether you have high levels
of testosterone could be linked to aggressive behaviour which can create a negative
personality.

In conclusion, to a certain extent, Freud’s view of personality can explain individual

differences e.g. whether a person is aggressive or not. However, there are other factors
does as hormones that also explain individual differences.