Ethological Explanation of Aggression: Adaptive Functions of Aggression

Question 1

what does the ethological explanation suggest is the main function of aggression?

Answer 1

aggression is adaptive
- beneficial to survival as a defeated animal is rarely killed but rather is forced to establish territory elsewhere

Question 2

what is an adaptive function of aggression?

Answer 2

establish dominance hierarchies

Question 3

what animals use aggression to climb social hierarchy?

Answer 3

• male chimpanzees
• use aggression to climb their troop’s social hierarchy
• dominance gives them special status(mating rights over females)

Question 4

what does aggression as adaptive mean for the members of a species?

Answer 4

• members of a species spread out over a wider area and have to discover resources in different places
  = reduces competition pressure and the possibility of starvation

Question 5

who is the researcher involved in adaptive functions in aggression?

Answer 5

Pettit et al

Question 6

what did Pettit et al do?

Answer 6

• studied groups of young children and observed how aggression played an important role in the development of dominance hierarchies
• this would be adaptive and thus naturally selected as dominance over others brings benefits such as access to resources (e.g. food and mates)