Biological Approach
CHOW YUET TIN CHLOE
Evolutionary influence localisation of brain function Neurotransmitters
Assumptions Raine (1997)
Evolutionary influence Aim
-Species change overtime in mind and behavior Study the active brain of murderers and non-murderers
-natural selection:genetically determined behavior
Method
that enhance the species to survive
a quasi-experiment with a matched pairs design.
-Environment of evolutionary adaptation(EEA)
Procedure
Localisation of brain function -Opportunity sampling
-The functions in different part of our brain 1. Participants were given a chance to practice the CPT before receiving the
-(graph)
FDG injection.
-Phineas Gage:survived in brain surgery and
discovered the relation between personality and 2. Thirty seconds before the FDG injection participants started the CPT so that
the function of the front parts of the brain. the initial task novelty wouldn’t be FDG labelled.
3. Thirty-two minutes after the FDG injection a PET scan was done of each
Neurotransmitters participant. Ten horizontal slices (pictures) of their brain were recorded using
-neurotransmitters=chemical messenger
the cortical peel and box techniques. The article provides precise details of the
-the process of how neurotransmitter is carry by
-oxytocin: a hormone linked to human bonding scanning techniques so that the study could be replicated.
and increase trust and loyalty
Result
Drug therapy Reduced activity (i.e. reduced glucose metabolism) in some areas, notably the
areas previously linked to violence (e.g. the prefrontal cortex, left angular gyrus and
corpus callosum).
Abnormal asymmetries: reduced activity on the left, greater activity on the right.
Antipsychotic
This applied to some of the areas identified in the hypothesis as being linked to
-Treat psychotic mental illness (schizophrenia)
violence (e.g. the amygdala, thalamus and hippocampus).
-Treatment: atypical antipsychotic drug No differences in some areas, notably those structures that were associated with
mental illness but not violence (e.g. the caudate, putamen, midbrain and
Antidepressant cerebellum).
-Treat depression, insufficient amounts of
neurotransmitters(sadness, tearfulness, hopeless) Conclusion
-Treatment: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor
Murderers pleading NGRI have significant differences in the metabolism of glucose in a
number of brain areas compared to non-murderers.
Antianxiety
-Treat anxiety, physical weakness
-Beta blockers(reduce activity of adrenaline)
Contemporary debate Evaluation of biological approach
Weaknesses
the Ethics of Neuroscience Strength Reductionist approach
understand consciousness Nature rather than nurture
treat criminal behavior
Scientific
Determinist approach individual difference
enhance neurological function
improve marketing skills Successful application