Assumptions

• 3 Assumptions

  1. Evolutionary influences
  2. Loacalisation of brain functions
  3. Neurotransmitters
• Evolutionary influences

  • The theory of evolution has been used to explain how the human mind and behaviour has changed over millions of years so they are adapted to the demands of our individual environment
  • Evolutionary adaptiveness (EEA) - the environment any species is adapted to and the selective pressures that exist at the time. Not all forms of behaviour are adaptive - only the ones that will ensure survival in the individuals particular environment
• Evolutionary influences - bullying behaviour

  • Bullying is used as a survival tactic shaped by evolution, with differences in how males and females employ it
  • Males - want to assert dominance and attract mates by displaying strength and resourcefulness + helps them fend off competition
  • Females - ensure partners loyalty and access resources + often employing subtler verbal and manipulative methods
• Localisation of brain functions

  • refers to the principle that certain areas of the brain are responsible for different functions
  • E.g. the four lobes
• Four lobes

  1. Frontal = thinking + creativity - links to our personalities
  2. Temporal = memory processing + processing auditory information (speech)
  3. Parietal = receives sensory info such as temp, touch + pain
  4. occipital = visual processing + receive information directly from the eyes
• Localisation of brain functions - ASD

  • Amygdala is crucial for social behaviour
  • In children with ASD, amygdala growth occurs earlier than neurotypical children, which results in differences in neural organisation + functioning
  • Amygdala is integral in understanding social cues + its abnormal development during childhood may be explained by localisation of brain functions
• Neurotransmitters

  • Neurons are electrically excitable cells that form the basis of the nervous system
  • Flexibility = enhanced by having many branches at the end of each neuron, which are known as dendrites - these make our brains flexible and able to learn new things
  • One neuron communicates with another neuron at the synapse + the message is relayed by chemical messengers
  • These neurotransmitters are released from presynpatic vesicles in one neuron + stimulates or inhibits receptors in the other neuron
• Neurotransmitters + mental health

  • serotonin - plays a role in our mood, sleep + appetite - too little serotonin has been found in people suffering from depression - anti-depressants work by increasing serotonin
  • Dopamine - gives us pleasure as it is seeking + reward driven - linked to schizophrenia
• Neurotransmitters - Inherited criminality

  • Serotonin plays significant roles in mood regulation
  • Low serotonin levels, which is linked to aggression and impulsivity, have been associated with mutations in genes like MAOA and CDH13.
  • Studies by Seo et al. & Brunner et al. have found connections between these gene mutations, low serotonin levels + aggressive criminal behavior
  • Variants of the 5-HTTLPR gene, affecting serotonin levels, have been linked to violent behavior
  • These findings suggest that abnormalities in genes affecting neurotransmitter levels can contribute to criminal tendencies