A psychology student reads that low levels of a certain neurotransmitter are associated with increased impulsive aggression.

Which neurotransmitter is the article most likely referring to?

A Dopamine
B Serotonin
C Noradrenaline
D Acetylcholine [1 mark]

A teacher tells her class that one possible genetic influence on aggression involves a variant of a gene that affects the activity of an enzyme which breaks down neurotransmitters such as serotonin.

Which statement about this gene is TRUE?

A It is found only in males.
B It directly causes aggressive behaviour in all carriers.
C It is sometimes referred to as the “warrior gene”.
D It is located only on chromosome 1. [1 mark]

A psychologist is explaining aggression in prisons.

Which of the following best illustrates a situational explanation of institutional aggression?

A Some prisoners arrive with a long history of violent offences.
B Prisoners with certain personality traits are more likely to be aggressive.
C Overcrowding and lack of privacy in the prison increase aggression.
D Aggression is due to a gene carried by some prisoners. [1 mark]

On his way home, Amir is stuck in a long queue of traffic. When he finally gets home, he shouts at his younger brother for leaving his shoes in the hall.

Which statement best describes the frustration–aggression hypothesis as applied in this example?

A Aggression is always learned by observing role models.
B Aggression occurs when an individual is prevented from achieving a goal.
C Aggression is always caused by unconscious drives.
D Aggression is produced by high levels of testosterone. [1 mark]

At a music festival, a group of fans put on identical masks and begin pushing people in the crowd. They shout loudly and throw plastic cups at the stage.

Which process is most clearly illustrated in this example?

A Cognitive priming
B De-individuation
C Desensitisation
D Disinhibition [1 mark]

Which of the following best describes a fixed action pattern (FAP) in ethological explanations of aggression?

A A learned sequence of aggressive acts which varies greatly between individuals.
B A genetic abnormality which always produces aggression.
C A stereotyped sequence of behaviours that is triggered by a specific stimulus.
D A conscious decision to act aggressively in certain situations. [1 mark]

Lara often plays a violent computer game. In the game, characters solve problems by attacking enemies. Later, when someone bumps into her in a busy shop, Lara immediately thinks, “They did that on purpose – they’re trying to start a fight,” and feels ready to hit them.

Which term best describes the way the game has influenced Lara’s thinking?

A Desensitisation
B Disinhibition
C Cognitive priming
D De-individuation [1 mark]

A researcher measures testosterone levels in 200 adult males and gives them a questionnaire measuring trait aggression. She finds a strong positive correlation between testosterone level and aggression score.

Which conclusion is the most appropriate?

A High testosterone definitely causes aggressive behaviour.
B Aggressive behaviour definitely causes testosterone to increase.
C There is an association between testosterone level and aggression.
D There is no relationship between testosterone level and aggression. [1 mark]

A psychologist is interested in situational factors that may contribute to aggression in prisons.

Which two of the following are examples of situational factors?
Shade two boxes only.

A A prisoner’s low self-control
B Overcrowded cells
C Low staff-to-prisoner ratio
D A history of gang membership
E High scores on a personality test for psychopathy [2 marks]

What is meant by institutional aggression in the context of prisons? [2 marks]