Evolutionary Explanation for Aggression

Question 1

what is this focused on

Answer 1

Evolutionary explanations focus on the adaptive nature of behaviour; they’re said to have evolved because they solved challenges faced by our distant ancestors and so became more widespread in the gene pool.

Question 2

Sexual Jealousy

Answer 2

• Major motivator of aggression.
• Men cannot know for sure if they’re the father of partners child (paternity uncertainty).
• Threat of cuckoldry (raising someone else’s child).
• Investment into an offspring that doesn’t share father’s gene is a waste. It is the raising of a ‘rivals’ gene.
• Men in evolution who avoided cuckoldry were more reproductively successful.
• Psychological mechanisms have evolved to increase anti-cuckoldry behaviour.
• This drives strategies men often employ to stop partners straying. These strategies were adaptive in our pasts.

Question 3

Male retention strategies

Answer 3

• Wilson and Daly identified several strategies that involve aggression or even violence.
• Direct guarding involves male vigilance over a partner’s behaviour.
• Negative inducements such as issuing of threats of dire consequences for infidelity.

Question 4

Physical Violence against partner

Answer 4

• Wilson asked women about men retention strategies, measured by agreement to statements that indicated protectiveness.
• Women who agreed were twice more likely to have suffered physical violence at the hands of their partners.
• 73% needed medical aid, 53% said they feared for their lives.

Question 5

Bullying

Answer 5

• Bullying occurs due to a power imbalance.
• More powerful person uses aggression deliberately and repeatedly against weaker people.
• Researchers say it may be maladaptive due to poor factors in childhood, but evolution says it was a survival mechanism.

Question 6

Male bullying

Answer 6

• Volk et al. (2012) says characteristics of bullies is attractive to females (dominance, strength etc).
• Also benefit of warding off potential rivals.
• Therefore, bullying behaviour might be naturally selected as these males have greater reproductive success.
• Saposkly (2014), boys who showed aggressive behaviour less likely to experience aggression themselves themselves as boys avoid contact with that person. Benefits the health of those at the top of the dominance hierarchy and makes them experience less stress.

Question 7

Female bullying

Answer 7

• In females it is more about controlling their partner.
• Secures partners fidelity, making them stay and provide for the offsprings.
• Such behaviour also naturally selected as they lead to enhanced reproductive success.

Question 8

Evaluation
Gender differences

Answer 8

• Explains why males and females’ aggression differs.
• Campbell says it makes no sense for females to be physically aggressive as it puts them and the offspring at risk.
• More adaptive is to control the resource providing partner.
• Explains why women use verbal over physical aggression.

Question 9

Cultural Differences

Answer 9

• Thomas investigated the Kung San people of Botswana, who discourage the use of aggression from childhood.
• Those who use it have their status diminished.
• Shows that aggression can’t be adaptive as some cultures constrain aggression.

Question 10

However cultural differences

Answer 10

• Lee found high homicide rates for such a peaceful population.
• Contradictions in findings may be due to observer bias (they know what they’re looking for).
• Observations by ‘outsiders may lack validity.

Question 11

Real world application

Answer 11

• Evolutionary theory can be used to reduce bullying.
• Ellis et al: Bullying is advantageous for the bully, so the meaningful approach to anti-bullying aims to increase the cost of bullying and rewards of prosocial alternatives.
• By giving bullies roles in schools, they have an alternative source of status.
• Increases credibility of the explanation.