Genetic explanations of aggression
- Created by: Thunder1107
- Created on: 24-01-18 15:43
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- Genetic explanations of aggression
- Warrior gene
- MAOA-L is more frequent in pops with warfare history, as about 2/3 of the pop have MAOA-L
- McDermott (09) found that MAOA-L PP’s had higher levels of aggression when provoked compared to MAOA-H Ps
- Studies
- Twin Studies
- Both MZ and DZ twins share the same environment but on MZ twins have the same DNA
- Adoption studies
- Hutchings (75) found that out of 14,000 Danish adoptees that a significant no. with crimes had bio dads with crimes
- Twin Studies
- MAOA
- An enzyme called MAOA has been associated with aggression
- MAOA breaks down neurotransmitters e.g. dopamine and serotonin
- Low levels of MAOA = neurotransmitters are not broken down and the brain gets desensitised and + aggressive
- Brunner (93), studied a Dutch family in which male members were violent + aggressive and committed crimes (All had low levels MAOA)
- MAOA variations
- MAOA-H (high levels MAOA) MAOA-L (low levels)
- Caspi found that Ps with MAOA-L were more likely to be anti-social but only if they had been maltreated as children.
- Evaluation
- Many of the studies focused on Ps convicted of crime which is a small minority
- This explanation is too reductionist because it does not take into account enviroment
- Many of the studies have used self-reports which can lead to DC
- Tiihonen (15) studied Finnish Pr's showing that MAOA-L combined with CD13 is associated with extremely violent behaviour.
- Niehoff (14) suggests that gender differences may result from gene vulnerability. MAOA is linked to the X CH. Women have 2 X CH + men have 1
- Warrior gene
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