3. Testosterone

About this Lecture

Lecture

In this lecture, we think about the hormonal mechanisms involved in aggressive behaviour, focusing in particular on: (i) the role of testosterone; (ii) the fact that men generally show a greater degree of physically aggressive behaviour than women; (iii) how this may point to a relationship between high levels of testosterone and increased aggression; (iv) a study by Dabbs et al. (1990) which seems to confirm this suggestion, whilst also considering some criticisms of their findings; (v) how the fluctuation of testosterone levels in certain contexts, e.g. in a competitive situation, can have an impact on aggressive behaviour.

Course

In this course, Dr Claire Lawrence (University of Nottingham) explores the psychology of aggression and aggressive behaviour. In the first lecture, we think about the genetic basis for aggression, associated with the so-called ‘warrior gene’ MAOA. In the second lecture, we think about the neural and hormonal mechanisms involved in aggressive behaviour, including serotonin. In the third lecture, we think about the role of testosterone in aggressive behaviour. Next, we think about how social learning theory can help us to understand aggression as a learned behaviour. In the fifth and final module, we think about the Frustration-Aggression Hypothesis as a social psychological model which argues that frustration, the feeling of having our goals thwarted, is a key factor in causing aggressive behaviour.

Lecturer

Claire Lawrence is an Associate Professor in the School of Psychology at the University of Nottingham.

She works predominantly in the area of individual differences and her research centres around the question: Why do some people act aggressively in some situations, and other people don't? She also examines whether some antisocial traits have benefits in a sexual selection context.

Her second main area of research is the unintended and negative impacts of behavioural interventions.