3.1.4 - Evolution and Natural Selection

Question 1

4x AO1

Answer 1

• Evolution takes place through natural selection as Darwin suggested that not all of a population of an organism would survive to the stage of reproduction
• Evolution is about genes and if our emotions come from natural selection than the structures of the brain that link to the emotions will be passed on
• This can be explained by how survival in certain environments needs aggression, for example males needed to b4e aggressive so that they could provide food or protect their mates and offspring.
• females are less aggressive as it was an evolutionary advantage for them not to put themselves and children at risk in conflict and hunting, leading to female aggression being less physically violent and more verbal and emotional

Question 2

AO1: Jealousy, Limited resources and Being seen as stronger

Answer 2

Jealousy:
- Threatening a male female pair may also makes sense in terms of evolution as jealousy can lead to aggression caused by the male needing to reproduce to pass on its genes so any other male competing for the females attention would threaten this, responding to aggression as a survival trait

Limited resources:
- historically humans have used aggression to fight over limited resources such as food and shelter, those who are successful would survive longer and reproduce so any such behaviour could be inherited as genes leading to such aggression would survive

Being seen as stronger:
- humans who are aggressive or seen as stronger in a social group and would therefore be more likely to survive as they wouldn’t be attacked because the scene is stronger and therefore are more likely to pass on their genes

Question 3

AO3 - strengths

x2

Answer 3

• Lorenz (1966) suggested aggression is an evolved trait, particularly in males, to fight over limited resources such as food and shelter. Therefore showing aggression is genes that survived because those who were aggressive and stronger would survive longer and reproduce
• Buss and Shakelford (1997) argue that aggressive behaviour has evolved to be seven adaptive problems of social living. For example reducing resources expanded on genetically unrelated children. Therefore there is aggression towards non-related offspring to keep resources for the propagation of one’s own genes which can therefore lead to child abuse and infanticide by stepparents

Question 4

AO3 - weaknesses

Answer 4

• an aggressive individual might protect its offspring, and so their genes can put them at risk by attracting aggression in others. Therefore aggression as an evolutionary trait can be seen as counter-productive in evolutionary terms as it creates conflict between the most aggressive characters which means less of those genes survive to be passed on through reproduction
• Dollard offers an alternative theory and suggests that aggression in humans comes from frustration from environmental influences eg frustration due to limited resources where aggression can’t be displayed in a situation, he suggested that the aggression can be displayed onto someone or something else. Therefore aggressive behaviour may not be due to evolutionary traits but rather influenced by the environment

Question 5

AO3 - weaknesses

x2

Answer 5

• an aggressive individual might protect its offspring and so their genes, which can put them at risk by attracting aggression and others. Therefore it can be seen as counter-productive an evolution re terms as this will just create conflict between the most aggressive characters
• Dollard 1939 offers an alternative theory and suggest that aggression in humans comes from frustration from environmental influences. if there is frustration eg due to limited resources and aggression can’t be displayed in a situation, he suggested that the aggression can be displayed onto someone or something else. Therefore aggressive behaviour may not be due to evolutionary traits but rather influenced by the environment