Evolutionary Explanations of Aggression

Evolutionary Explanations of Aggression

1. Evolutionary Explanations

   • It can be claimed that aggression has an evolutionary advantage...survival, reproduction and natural selection.

2. Mate retention strategies

   • Wilson & Daly (1996) Direct guarding - males checking where partners are, who they are seeing, tracking etc. Negative inducements- threats. Wilson et al. (1995) those who reported mate retention (‘he asks who I am with and where I am’) 2x likely to suffer physical abuse. 73% needed medical attention. 53% feared for life.

3. Sexual Jealousy

   • Males can never be certain of paternity (paternal uncertainty). They risk investing time and resources on raising the offspring of a rival - this is known as cuckoldry. Very costly and must be avoided. Aggressive anti-cuckoldry behaviours (sexual jealousy, physical prevention from straying) were adaptive.

4. Intimate partner violence (Domestic abuse)

   • Shackelford et al. (2005) 107 heterosexual married couples given questionnaires- males tested mate retention strategies, females partner violence. Found strong positive significant correlation between men who reported direct guarding (coming home early) or negative inducements (threats to kill themselves) and physical violence.

5. Bullying

   • Could be adaptive - bullying behaviours show dominance, strength & ability to gain resources - these are attractive to the opposite sex. Vlk et al 2012. Scares off rivals. Naturally selected to improve reproductive success. Female (physical) bullying more likely in relationships- controlling partner - hope for fidelity and again naturally selected.

6. Evaluation

   • Evolutionary explanations give a good justification for gender differences in aggression. Cultural variations - !Kung San (Kalahari tribe) = no aggression. The Yanomamo (Brazilian & Venezuelan tribe) = known as ‘the fierce people’ and aggression is accepted and required by everyone. If all humans have evolved in the same way, you would not expect to see this Hard to test evolutionary ideas experimentally- lots correlational and so no cause & effect
   • Practical applications - Anti-bullying programs. Rigby (2010) Current anti-bullying sees it as maladaptive meaning interventions based on addressing weaknesses. This is incorrect if they are looking for power. Need to make it less beneficial to bully (punishment).