PSYC 2010 Lecture Notes - Lecture 12: A Common Thread, Prosocial Behavior, Prefrontal Cortex

• School: Auburn University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 2010
• Professor: Robinson

Document Summary

Section 2: aggression: any behavior that involves the intention to harm another. A common thread is negative emotions (including insulted, afraid, frustrated, frustrated, overly hot, or in pain) Maoa gene controls the amount of mao and enzyme that regulates neurotransmitters. Dutch family showed the gene mutation of maoa. Serotonin is especially important in the control of aggressive behavior. Amygdala: being angry is associated with this brain region. Prefrontal cortex: important for controlling emotional and behavioral reactions. Southern men are the most aggressive men because of culture: prosocial behavior: action that tend to benefit others, such as doing favors or helping. Altruism: providing help when it is needed, without any apparent reward for doing so. Questions: how much harm do they risk to themselves by helping? and what benefits might they have to forgo if they help: competition and isolation creates enemies; cooperation creates friends.