Unit 3: Aggression: Evolution

Unit 3: Aggression: Evolution

1. LORENZ-saw agg. as an instinct involved in all animals, providing a survival mechanism-important access to resources such as territories, food mates. No more than RITUALISED DISPLAY+APPEASEMENT to prevent injury.

   • RITUALISED AGG: showing of agg. as basis for assertion of power+ maintenance of status.
   • APPEASEMENT: a behaviour that stops agg by the competitor+ avoids injury/death

2. EVOL EXP. GREELY-11% of F & 21% of M admit to extra-marital sex, may be different reasons behind M+F infidelity

   • MALES: More partners a man has, more likely his genes will survive
   • FEMALES: If woman has sex with +1 man, then the one with the fittest sperm survives.
   • Act of infidelity=threat to relationship. BUSS et al TF agg. beh.=(-) threat
   • JEALOUSY: BUSS et al argues that M+F experience jealousy diff.
     • MALES: SEXUAL JEALOUSY-Face paternal uncertainty, caring for child, not theirs, no evol. advantage, waste of time+resoources.
       • BUSS-stated that M have MATE-RETENTION STRATEGIES (MRS)-purpose of keeping a mate, direct guarding or threats for any infidelity. WILSON- found that F who agreed on Q items i.e. 'he is jealous' were twice as likely to exp. serious agg. from partners.
     • FEMALES: EMOTIONAL JEALOUSY: If M is interested in other F, then may exp. potential loss of time, attention+resources
   • Eval: Much research to supp. J+I E:Shackelford-males were questioned on use of MRS+ how often perf. vio. against their mates. Consistent with evol predictions, +MRS=+violence. E-Survey's were used, issue of social desirability, gender bias-Males on MRS, women also engage in this. L-Despite Method. concerns, findings of research suggest J+I as key causes to agg, thus support, however need more research for F to generalise.
     • Eval: I-PA. E-Shackelford demonstrate MRS-early indicators of potential vio, can alert family to danger signs for future vio in that relationship. Rel. counselling may then be used before it gets worse. L-TF this is a strength as awareness of the sig. of jealousy can help prevent vio. in rel.

3. GROUP DISPLAYS: Ritualised agg=+benefits, no agg, strategy has evolved as a benefit as there is (-)injury & (-) death

   • SPORT: Victory in sport brings status to winners+ fans, winners are desirable to women+territorial.
     • WAR DANCES+SUPPORTER DISPLAYS: Before event to intimidate enemy+motivate, I.e Haka.
     • TERRITORIAL BEH.: mark out+defend territories, SCHWARZ+BARKEY-believe that more games are won at home bc of social support of home.
     • Eval: Supp. evid. for sports events. E: Universal nature of war dances cross culturally-may have evol. component related to agg. NEVERTHELESS-many of these dances are artificial, not reflective of trad. practices. E:MARSh-conducted observations of FF-(verbal, symbolic+ harmless). DUNNING et al-a lot of agg. at sports events-very violent, resulting in many deaths. L-As there is variety of evid. to supp., appears to be valid, however other factors involved in agg. otherwise 'real agg' would not occur so frequently.
   • WARFARE: Serves to intimidate+make them believe they would lose the war.
     • MILITARY TATTOOS:: Shows of strength to inhibit attacks from another nation.
     • MUTUALLY ASSURED DESTRUCTION: refer to fact that both the USSR+ USA had enough weaponry to destroy each other, both avoided conflict.

4. Eval: I-POST-HOC, making it difficult to test. E-Cannot be sure we have evolved to display agg. beh. in order to gain resources, impossible to go back in time and scientifically test it, therefore unable to completely verify accuracy. E- (-) validity+reliability in exp. makes it more likely more than evol. factors are responsible for agg. L-Therefore more than one exp. of agg should be considered when attempting to exp. group displays.