ethological explanaition Flashcards
What is Lorenz’s definition of aggression
The fighting instinct in beasts and man that is directed against members of the same species
What assumptions does he make that make the study of aggression in animals relevant to that in humans?
Aggression is an instinct which occurs in all members of a species without the need for learning. Its innate and mostly genetically determined.
We can study non-human animals and extrapolate to humans as were all subject to natural selection.
What is meant by an ‘adaptive’ behaviour?
Helps increase likelihood of survival and enables a person to get along in his or her environment with the greatest success and least conflict with others
Give 4 reasons why aggression may be adaptive
Help survival e.g. shelter
Protect resources e.g. food
Establish dominance hierarchies
Access to females
What is a dominance hierarchy, and why might it be adaptive?
Aggression being adaptive allows for the formation of a dominance hierarchy. This is adaptive as it allows the establishment of dominance bringing benefits as mating rights.
What evidence is there of dominance hierarchies in humans?
Lorenz feels humans are like doves, who are non-hunters and simply fly away during a fight, but sadly now can develop weapons of mass destruction and don’t have indistinctive inhibitions
Pettit et al (1988) studied play groups of young children and observed that aggressive interactions were an important aspect of how children gain dominance over others
ritual
series of behaviours carried out in a set order
What does ritualistic aggression typically comprise in animals?
Most aggressive interactions consist of ritualistic signaling (snarling, displaying claws, pushing contestants) and rarely becomes physical.
What did Lorenz (1966) note about aggression in animals?
Lorenz (1966) observed that in fights between animals actual injury is rare.
appeasment
to surrender and consolidate with your attacker. Suggesting that intra-species aggressive confrontations end in ritual appreasment display. These are thought to indicate acceptacne and defeat therefore inhibiting any further aggression from the victor. This is adaptive because if aggression encounters end with injury or death it can threaten the existence of the species.
What is an appeasement display, and what is their purpose?
signal to avoid confrontation or to signal submission e.g. a wolf showing its jugular vein is an appeasement display
Why are appeasement displays adaptive?
if aggressive encounters ended with injury or death it could put the species at threated of existence.
What was Schenkel’s (1967) opposing view?
He argues against this view and suggests this ‘submissive’ pose is actually a challenge which leads to further fighting.
What is an Innate Releasing Mechanism (IRM)?
biological structure or process which is activated by external stimulus that in turn triggers a fixed action potential,
What is a fixed action pattern (FAP)?
A sequence of stereotyped pre-programmed behaviors triggered by an innate releasing mechanism
