Evolutionary explanations of human aggression (A01)

Evolutionary explanations of human aggression (A01)

1. Cuckoldry and Sexual Jealousy

   • men can never be 100% sure that they are the father of their children so are always at risk of cuckoldry
   • cuckoldry- the reproductive cost inflicted on a man as a result of his partners infidelity. The consequence is that the man might unwittingly invest his resources in an offspring that is not his own. Partner is unfaithful so man unwilllingly invests in children that arent his.
   • Sexual jealousy is an adaptive behaviour because it deters the mate from infidelity thus minimising risk of cuckoldry.

2. Mate retention and violence

   • Buss suggested males evolved strategies to keep their partner
     • These strategies include: restricting partners autonomy and negative inducements (verbal and physical violence/ threats of violence to prevent infidelity)
   • Sexual jealousy is a cause of violence which is caused when women are perceived as threatening infidelity.
   • Dobash and Dobash- study of battered women which showed that their partners have been extremely jealous.

3. Sexual Jealousy and Extreme violence

   • Daly et al: male sexual jealousy is the most common motivation for killings in domestic disputes in the US
   • Dell: sexual jealously counted for 17% of all cases of murder in the UK
   • Summary of 8 studies of same sex killings involving "love triangles" found that 92% were male-male murderers and only 8% were female-female murders. Men are predominantly both perpertraitors and victims

4. Uxoricide

   • Killing of wife -maybe unintended outcome of trying to control partner not kill
   • men can guard against their partners infidelity either by giving benefits (safe home etc) or by inflicting costs including violence.
   • as not all men possess resources to give benefits, some are more prone to using violence or the threat of violence.
   • Daly and Wilson suggested that the death of a partner from physical violence might be unintentional.
   • It was an evolutionary adaptation that was designed for control rather than violence