Evolutionary Explanations of Human Aggression

Evolutionary Explanations of Human Aggression

1. Aggression would have been effective at solving a number of adaptive problems associated with group living

   • These would include inflicting costs on other humans to enhance survival and reproductive benefits

2. Evolutionary explanations emphasise ultimate rather than proximate causes of aggressive behaviour

3. Sexual competition involves eliminating competition through physical aggression

4. Evidence for physical competition includes physical differences between men and women and anthropological evidence

5. Fear of cuckoldry because of paternal uncertainty drives sexual jealousy, a primary cause of violence against women

6. Sexual jealousy accounts for 17% of all murders in the UK (Dell)

7. Livingstone Smith claims human warfare originated in order to obtain resources, attract males and forge intragroup bonds

8. Displays of aggressiveness in battle means individuals are more likely to share the benefits associated with status, which would increase their reproductive fitness

9. Evaluation

   • Gender differences in aggression may be better explained by socialisation
     • E.g. Smetana found boys and girls treated differently with respect to aggression
   • Aggressive behaviour may not always be adaptive
     • But benefits of aggression need only outweigh costs on average
   • Support for the link between aggression and status
     • Supported by anthropological evidence and in US gangs
   • Gender bias in evolutionary explanation of aggression
     • Understanding of the aggressive displays typically found in warfare is limited to the behaviour of males rather than females
   • Limitations of evolutionary explanations of aggression
     • Do not explain extreme cruelty found in warfare