AGGRESSION AND THE EEG (ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAM) - A QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS

• NCJ Number: 57498
• Journal: Journal of Abnormal Psychology Volume: 84 Issue: 4 Dated: (AUGUST 1975) Pages: 358-365
• Author(s): R BLACKBURN
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 8 pages
• Corporate Author: American Psychological Assoc
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THIS STUDY TESTS THE HYPOTHESIS THAT AGGRESSIVE OFFENDERS HAVE A GREATER AMOUNT OF THETA ACTIVITY IN THEIR ELECTROCORTICAL RHYTHMS THAN NONAGGRESSIVE OFFENDERS AND ARE MORE CORTICALLY REACTIVE.

Abstract

EIGHTY OFFENDERS AT A PSYCHIATRIC SECURITY HOSPITAL COMPLETED SCALES OF AGGRESSION AND HOSTILITY AND WERE RATED ON PREVIOUS HISTORY OF ASSAULTIVE BEHAVIOR. LOW-FREQUENCY ANALYSIS WAS EMPLOYED TO OBTAIN MEASURES OF ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAM ABUNDANCE AT REST, DURING REPETITIVE AUDITORY STIMULATION, AND DURING THE COLD PRESSOR TEST. NEITHER WITHIN THE SAMPLE AS A WHOLE NOR WITHIN PERSONALITY DISORDERS ALONE WAS ANY RELATION FOUND BETWEEN THE REST ABUNDANCE AND AGGRESSION. MORE AGGRESSIVE SUBJECTS TENDED TO HAVE A HIGHER DOMINANT FREQUENCY AT REST, LESS INCREASE IN THETA DURING MONOTONOUS STIMULATION, AND GREATER ALPHA REACTIVITY TO COLD PRESSOR STIMULATION. THE RESULTS DO NOT AGREE WITH THE VIEW THAT A HIGH PREVALENCE OF THETA ACTIVITY CHARACTERIZES AGGRESSIVE OFFENDERS. THE EVIDENCE OF GREATER CORTICAL EXCITABILITY IN AGGRESSIVE PATIENTS SUGGESTS THAT PERSISTENT AGGRESSION IS ASSOCIATED WITH A DOMINANCE OF THE ERGOTROPIC SYSTEM. TABULAR DATA AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--DAG)