Lesson 4.3.8.1

4.3.8.1 Neural, hormonal and genetic mechanisms in aggression Quiz: AQA Psychology, Unit 3

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 4.3.8.1, Neural, hormonal and genetic mechanisms in aggression: 20 multiple choice questions for the AQA Psychology (7182), Unit 3: Issues and options in Psychology, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. Which brain structure is part of the limbic system and is strongly linked to aggressive responses?

    • The medulla oblongata
    • The amygdala
    • The cerebellum
    • The occipital lobe

  2. What effect does low serotonin activity in the brain have on behaviour?

    • Enhanced fear response
    • Reduced impulse control
    • Increased empathy
    • Decreased testosterone production

  3. How are high levels of testosterone generally linked to human behaviour?

    • Decreased physical strength
    • Increased aggressive behaviour
    • Lowered dopamine levels
    • Enhanced social anxiety

  4. Which gene has been linked to aggression through its role in breaking down neurotransmitters?

    • The BRCA1 gene
    • The FTO gene
    • The HTT gene
    • The MAOA gene

  5. In Caspi et al.'s study on MAOA, which factor combined with genetics to predict aggression?

    • Adult unemployment
    • Low intelligence
    • Peer rejection
    • Childhood maltreatment

  6. Why is a single-gene explanation for aggression considered overly simplistic?

    • Zero genetic influence
    • Gene-environment interactions
    • Genes change daily
    • Hormones block genes

  7. Which brain region does serotonin act on to help regulate aggressive impulses?

    • Prefrontal cortex
    • Corpus callosum
    • Occipital lobe
    • Motor cortex

  8. What is the main limitation of correlational evidence linking testosterone to aggression?

    • Ignores brain structure
    • Cannot prove causation
    • Low sample size
    • Lacks face validity

  9. What primary role does the amygdala in the limbic system play in aggression?

    • Motor coordination
    • Threat processing
    • Language comprehension
    • Visual perception

  10. Biological explanations of aggression focus on the interaction between which three factors?

    • Cognitive, social, behavioural
    • Evolutionary, cultural, environmental
    • Neural, hormonal, genetic
    • Psychodynamic, humanistic, neural

  11. Damage to the prefrontal cortex often leads to aggressive outbursts due to reduced what?

    • Auditory processing
    • Impulse control
    • Short-term memory
    • Visual acuity

  12. What key limitation affects twin studies when measuring genetic influences on aggression?

    • Small brain size
    • Missing DNA samples
    • Zero heritability
    • Shared environments

  13. Which male sex hormone is most commonly associated with increased aggressive behaviour?

    • Insulin
    • Thyroxine
    • Testosterone
    • Melatonin

  14. What type of protein does the MAOA gene code for?

    • A neurotransmitter
    • A receptor
    • A hormone
    • An enzyme

  15. What effect does the low-activity MAOA gene variant have on enzyme production?

    • Increases enzyme levels
    • Has no effect
    • Reduces enzyme levels
    • Stops enzyme production

  16. In Caspi et al.'s study, which environmental factor interacted with the MAOA gene?

    • Childhood maltreatment
    • Maternal smoking
    • Severe malnutrition
    • Low birth weight

  17. According to research, when is testosterone most likely to increase aggressive behaviour?

    • Threat to status
    • High sleep deprivation
    • Extreme social isolation
    • Low ambient temperature

  18. According to the serotonin hypothesis, what effect do low serotonin levels have?

    • Increased impulsive aggression
    • Decreased impulsive aggression
    • Increased social anxiety
    • Decreased motor activity

  19. What best describes the relationship between genetic factors and aggressive behaviour?

    • Direct genetic determinism
    • Single-gene inheritance
    • Pure environmental learning
    • Diathesis-stress interaction

  20. What is a major limitation of correlational research on testosterone and aggression?

    • Cannot establish causality
    • Inaccurate hormone measurement
    • High demand characteristics
    • Lacks construct validity

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