Summary
Summary Outline and evaluate the ethological explanation of aggression
- Module
- Aggression
- Institution
- AQA
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Outline and evaluate the ethological explanation ofaggression
Depth:
The ethological explanation stresses the adaptive value of animal behaviours.
Aggression is beneficial for survival because the ‘defeated animal’ is rarely killed, but rather is
forced to establish its territory elsewhere. The result being that members of a species are spread
out over a wider area and more likely to discover different resources which reduces competition
and aid survival.
Ethologists study the behaviour patterns shown by animals in natural environments – ethologists
such as Lorenz recognized that, while the potential for aggression may be innate, actual aggressive
behaviour is elicited by specific stimuli in the environment, known as releasers. Lorenz believed that
aggression has survival value for animals.
Fixed action patterns - The ethological explanation states that all members of the same species
have a repertoire of stereotyped behaviours which occur in specific conditions, and which do not
require learning. (i.e.., are innate)
Ethologist Tinbergen called these innate behaviours fixed action patterns.
FAPs are produced by a neural mechanism known as an innate releasing mechanism (a neural
mechanism that responds to external stimuli and causes the behaviours of animals – FAP) and are
triggered by a very specific stimulus known as a sign stimulus.
An environmental stimulus triggers the IRM which in turn releases a specific sequence of
behaviours (referred to as FAPs).
There are five features of fixed actions patterns:
Stereotyped – the behaviour always occurs in the same way.
Universal – the behaviour is the same in all conspecifics
Independent of the individual experience – behaviour is not learnt
Ballistic – once triggered, the FAP cannot be stopped
Specific triggers – each FAP has a specific trigger (sign stimulus).
To help with understanding: How aggression comes about is through innate releasing mechanisms
causing the fixed action pattern to produce a sequence of behaviours.
Bredth
Ritualistic aggression does not involve the killing of other animals.
Lorenz observed that fights between animals of the same species resulted in little physical damage
– most aggressive behaviours include ritualistic signaling for example, the show of teeth or claws.
Confrontation often ended with ritual appeasement display indicating the acceptance of defeat for
the loser and the inhibition of aggressive behaviour in the victor.
For example, at the end of a confrontation a wolf will expose its neck to the victor, deliberately
making itself vulnerable. This is adaptive because if every aggressive encounter ended in death that
could threaten the existence of the species.
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