Evolution and Group Display

Evolution and Group Display

1. The behaviour shown by a collection of like-minded individuals who come together for a particular purpose

   • Fantatical behaviour such as this demonstrated for years
     • Chariot Racing in Rome

2. Within a group

   • Humans live in group and natural selection like genes that encourage cooperation with other group members
   • In group disposition
     • High in altruism, aggression within the group suppressed
   • Out group disposition
     • Between two different group, altruism suppressed and aggression promoted
   • Always programmed us to take dislike to people from other groups becasue they won't be altruistic

3. Evolutionary past

   • Always constantly under threat from rival groups and tibes
   • Men have evolved tribal psychology

4. Xenophobia

   • Because of past we are programmed xenophobic
   • Being wary of outsiders would have helped ancestor avoid attack
   • Macdonald suggests evolution encouraged us to exagerate negative stereotypes
     • Better to exaggerate threats than show underperception

5. Xenophobia in sport

   • Ever present in sport
   • Believed that natural selection has favoured the genes which cause humans to be altruistic toward members of their own group
     • Also, intolerant of other groups

6. Poldaliri and Balestri

   • Analysed Italian football crowds and found extreme right wing political views held by group, "Lega Nord"
   • Banners and chants encouraged in-group solidarity and also belittled the oppositon

7. Foldesi

   • Hungarian football matches - the more banners and chants from extremist supporters the more likely violence would occur
   • Banners and chants offensive toward players, manager, referees and a-social groups
     • Extreme degradation
   • Only provides a correlation - not concrete

8. Evans and Rowe analysed police reports from 40 matches involving English clubs and England as a team

   • More violence when England played as a country
   • Because as a team they were mainly all white whereas clubs are ethically diverse

9. Marsh - nothing to do with evolution

   • Violence organised and ritualised
     • Controversial conclusion - young working class males can follow alternative career structure in football hooliganism

10. Implications

    • Great pressure on clubs to stop football hooliganism
      • In Scotland - Celtic initiated 'Bhoys against Bigotry'

11. Culture

    • Religious pilgrimages take place to show the differences in group display
      • Orthodox Jews