Evolutionary Explanations of Aggression

Evolutionary Explanations of Aggression

1. Human Aggression-Infidelity and Jealousy

   • AO1/AO2
     • Aggression is an adaptive respons; it has survival value. Not only for the defence of our resources but aggression also increases the chances of successful reproduction and survival of genes.
       • In turn this provides greater opportunities for mating and the birth of more offspring to continue the genes of the successful mate.
         • Aggressive displays that worn off potential rivals, enhance status and therefore attract females
           • Evolutionary psychologists have concluded that aggression is tactically calculated to help increase the chances of reproduction and survival.
             • This explanation of aggression also explains the evolution of male retention strategies and the role of jealousy in male aggression linked to infidelity and paternal uncertainty
     • Jealousy
       • Is defined as an emotional state that is aroused by a perceived threat to a relationship or position
         • It motivates behaviour that counters the threat.
           • Daly and Wilson claim that men have evolved different strategies to deter their female from committing adultery. These range from vigilance to violence, but are fuelled by male sexual jealousy, an adaption that has evolved as a result of paternal uncertainty
       • Supporting evidence comes from Daly et al who found that male sexual jealousy is the single most common motivation for killings in domestic disputes in the US
         • Dell concluded that sexual jealousy accounted for 17% of murders in the UK. Furthermore, a summary of 8 studies of same-sex killings involving love triangles find 92% were male-to-male murders
     • Infidelity
       • Involves a sexual partner (normally a spouse) being unfaithful.
         • It can either be emotional, which then leads to an emotional bond forming e.g. falling in love and dating, or sexual which involves sexual contact e.g. kissing
           • Males fear sexual infidelity as they are jealous that their partner is carrying another man's baby, which means he will be investing resources into a child that is not his
       • Supporting evidence comes for infidelity comes from a BBC online survey which shows that also men are more likely to engage in extra-marital affairs than women, one in ten women admitted being unfaithful to their husbands
         • A consequence of men's perceptions of their wives' sexual infidelity is sexual coercion (Goetz)
           • Camilleri found that sexual assault of a female by her male partner was directly linked with the perceived risk of infidelity.
   • IDA
     • Determinsm
       • Fails to consider the role of free will in individuals by assuming all individuals that experience infidelity from their partners will become aggressive
         • It doesn't take into account individual differences
           • Theory lacks external validity
     • Reductionist
       • The theory suggests are aggression is as a result of situational factors e.g. infidelity and ignores other factors e.g. genes
         • Instead it is likely to be a combination of both situational and dispositional factors.
           • With a lack of consideration, the theory is oversimplifying our complex human behaviour
             • Thus, the internal validity is weakened.

2. Sport and Warfare

   • AO1
     • Aggression is an adaptive respons; it has survival value. Not only for the defence of our resources but aggression also increases the chances of successful reproduction and survival of genes.
       • In turn this provides greater opportunities for mating and the birth of more offspring to continue the genes of the successful mate.
         • Aggressive displays that worn off potential rivals, enhance status and therefore attract females
           • Evolutionary psychologists have concluded that aggression is tactically calculated to help increase the chances of reproduction and survival.
             • In animals, display behaviour occurs in a specialised pattern which is used for intimidation or to communicate courtship intentions
     • One way in which group display can be understood is by studying behaviour in sporting events.
       • From an evolutionary perspective it is easy to see why men would want to succeed in these games that offer them top wages and gain access to resources, status and women.
         • High profile contests are covered by the media so although the benefits outweigh the costs, in competition, the risks are high
     • Another way in which group display can be understood is by studying war
       • From an evolutionary perspective, as it is highly likely for war to end in death, the benefits of forming a coalition outweigh the costs
         • Aggressive group display is likely to cost individuals their lives but there is a greater chance of survival afforded by acting as part of a group, as oppose to being alone
   • AO2
     • Sport
       • One piece of evidence that confirms the concept of group displays in sport possessing benefits comes from Wilson
         • Wilson claimed that xenophobia, has been documented in 'virtually every group of animals displaying higher forms of social organisation'
           • Natural selection, it appears has favoured those genes that cause humans to be unselfish to members of their own group but intolerant of those outside their group
             • This supports the evolutionary explanation of human aggression as xenophobia and aggressive attacks on other team members shows bravery and therefore will increase the amount of female attention they receive
     • Warfare
       • One piece of evidence that confirms the concept of group displays in warfare possessing benefits comes from Divale and Harris
         • In societies that experience frequent warfare, males are more likely to escape infanticide than females, because of their potential usefulness in battle
           • As a result, there are fewer women compared to men in these societies, so men must compete with each each to access the female mate
             • This supports the evolutionary explanation of human aggression as bravery and aggressiveness are attractive to women, and their absence reduces the attractiveness of individual males
   • IDA
     • Gender Bias
       • Evolutionary explanations for warfare may demonstrate gender bias as they don't reflect the behaviour of women
         • One researcher claimed that the idea of the woman warrior is almost unheard of within most societies and even within those societies that do allow women to participate in wars, they are always the rare exception
           • Woman would have considerably less to gain from fighting in these near-death experiences and considerably more to lose.
             • This is a fundamental reason as to why women do not fight in wars, as they do not increase their fitness near enough to what men do
               • Our understanding of these warfare displays is unfortunately limited to only male behaviour
     • Reductionist
       • Simplifies aggression into simply being that of an adaptive response that is ingrained within our genes due to ancestors
         • It fails to account for individual differences and external factors in that an individual may lose their sense of self when amongst a group so they feel aggressive conduct is more acceptable
           • This links to the alternative social psychological explanation of aggressive behaviour, deindividuation
             • Therefore as it does not take into account all possible factors the validity is redcued