BRAIN STRUCTURE AO1

• Limbic system


  • Plays an important role in controlling a range of emotional behaviours such as fear and mood
  • Associated with aggressive behaviour
• Hypothalamus


  Serves a regulatory role in aggression
• Bard and Mountcastle (1937) separated the cortex from the limbic system in cats and found, after further destruction of the hypothalamus, the cats were predisposed to ferocious behaviour
• Destruction of the ventromedial nuclei of the hypothalamus caused cats to develop permanent 'savage behaviour'
• Amygdala


  • Located in the limbic system of the brain
  • Takes information from the thalamus and interprets whether it is a threat or not
  • Produces fear or aggression, the famous 'fight or flight' response
  • Responsible for controlling our emotions and urges
• Amygdala dysfunction in psychopaths means that the inhibitory mechanism is disrupted, so they can make impulsive decisions, become aggressive and become involved in criminal behaviour without guilt or remorse
• Amygdala normally responds to signals of distress in other people


  Inhibits antisocial behaviour
• Coccaro et al (2007) investigated the effects of the amygdala on aggression by studying people with intermittent explosive disorder (IED), a common symptom of which is outbursts of aggression. The participants with IED showed high levels of amygdala activity when they viewed angry faces
• In conclusion, the biological explanations of criminal behaviour have provided an insight into violent criminal behaviour but is less effective at explaining non-violent crimes.