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Exam focused question:. Outline (about 200 words) evolutionary explanations of two forms of human aggressive behaviour. Genetic factors in aggression. To know and understand how genetics can play a part in aggressive behaviour. What Causes Aggression?. Design an Experiment.
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Exam focused question: • Outline (about 200 words) evolutionary explanations of two forms of human aggressive behaviour.
Genetic factors in aggression To know and understand how genetics can play a part in aggressive behaviour
Design an Experiment... • In pairs, design an study/experiment that could test the theory that aggression is an inherited behaviour. • Be prepared to present to the rest of the class. • All experiments have to be ethical!
Evidence Lagerspetz (1979) • Mice were raised in isolation. He separated the mice into two groups depending on the level of aggression displayed when they were mixed with other mice. • The mice that were most aggressive were classified as aggressive(TA) and the others as non-aggressive (TNA) • These mice were interbreed. • By the 19th generation aggressive biting behaviour in TA mice 52% • In TNA it was only 5% • There were also structural differences. TA mice had heavier testes, and increased serotonin. • However, the environmental still had an influence as both types of mouse could be tamed
Mice! • You are going to replicate Lagerspetz’s experiment in class. But you are going to be breeding paper mice! • Each person gets one mouse with a number on it. The higher the number, the more aggressive the mouse is. • Decide if you want to breed aggressive mice or calm mice. • You then need to find someone to breed your mouse with
Mice! • To get the aggression score for the offspring, • Add together the numbers from the parents and divide by 2 to get an average. • Flip a coin. If it is heads, add 2 to the number. If it is tails, take 2 two away. • You have two babies each time a pair breeds, so you have to do the above twice. • Once you have bred a pair, decide which of the offspring you are going to breed and repeat the above with your new mouse.
Twin Studies • Miles and Carey (1997) did a meta-analysis of 24 twin and adoption studies • They concluded that genetic influence could account for up to 50% in the variance in aggressive anti social behaviour. • Use this evidence to support the role of genetics in aggression. • Use this evidence to contradict the role of genetics
Adoption Studies • Hutchings (1975) • Studied 14,000 adoptions in Denmark, and found that a significant number of adopted boys with criminal convictions had biological parents (particularly fathers) with criminal convictions. • However, the highest rates of criminal violence occur when both biological and adoptive parents have a history of violent crime. • Use this evidence to support the role of genetics in aggression. • Use this evidence to contradict the role of genetics