Aggression 16 marker
Outline and evaluate the ethological explanation of aggression
A01 – study of non-human animals, study of non-human animals.
Aggression is adaptive, beneficial to survival, species spread out to find
resources to reduce competition and starvation. Establishing dominance
in hierarchies.
A01 – ritualistic aggression, Lorenz, observed that there was prolonged
period of signalling. Also, that intra group end with appease signals,
which inhibit the aggression and accept defeat, so death doesn’t have to
happen
A01 – fixed action patterns and innate releasing mechanisms. Innate
releasing mechanism is an inbuilt physiological process or structure. An
environmental stimulus triggers the IRM which then release a specific
sequence of behaviours this behaviour is the fixed action patterns.
A03 – Tinbergen sticklebacks, highly territorial, develop a red belly. If
another enters the territory, FAP is initiated. Sign stimulus is the red belly,
triggers the innate releasing mechanism.
A03 – PBS, extrapolation
A03 – supports the genetic explanation that it is inherent to become
aggressive due to biology
A03 – aggression against same members of species not just ritualistic,
four-year war, chimps aggressive towards each other and do not appease
when signal given, challenge the idea that same-species aggression is elf-
limiting and harmless
A03 – FAPs are not fixed, they are greatly influenced by the environment
and learning experiences. Patterns of aggressive behaviour much more
flexible then once believed.
, Outline and evaluate the evolutionary explanations of aggression
A01 – aggression through evolution, adaptive, Buss has identified 7
adaptions of aggression in humans: self-defence, reputations to ward off
future aggression, status, resources, deny resource to rivals, prevent
males from females, prevent a partner being unfaithful.
A01 – inter-group aggression, this is aggression between different groups,
e.g., warfare. Human males gave a cognitive bias towards organised
aggression, expecting attack, reputation, vengeance etc.
A01 – intra-group aggression, aggression within a single group, mainly
linked to male rivalry and sexual jealousy. Daly and Wilson, male
aggression young men common in all human cultures, jealousy, and
violence to control partners sexual behaviours.
A03 – Tooby and Cosmides, the military contract, men will only fight
those who share the rewarded that share the dangers. Animals don’t
have the brain functions to work this out
A03 – PBS, population validity
A03 – Justifying anger of men towards women?
A03 – reductionist, overly simple for it to explain situations such as
warfare.
A03 – real world, socially sensitive, suggests it is somewhat excusable and
out of control of the individual.
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