Ethological Explanation of Aggression: Evaluations

Question 1

what are the evaluations of the ethological explanation of aggression?

Answer 1

• strength = research support
• limitation = ritualistic aggression
• limitation = FAP’s are not fixed

Question 2

explain the research support evaluation for ethological explanation of aggression.

Answer 2

• support from research related to genetics and evolution
• Brunner et al showed that MAOA-L gene is closely associated with aggressive behaviour in humans
• twin and adoption studies showed a significant genetic component to aggression in humans
• aggression as an adaptive behaviour and therefore genetically-based
• these lines of research point towards an innate basis to aggressive behaviour
  = ethological approach is correct in claiming that aggression is genetically determined, heritable and adaptive

Question 3

explain the ritualistic aggression evaluation for ethological explanation of aggression.

Answer 3

• Goodall observed a four year war where male chimps from one community killed all members of another group
• they did this in a systematic way where a victim would be held down by rival chimps while the others hit it in an attack lasting many minutes
• violence continued even though victims offered appeasement signals
• these signals did not inhibit aggressive behaviour of attackers as predicted by the ethological explanation
  = challenges the ethological view that same-species aggression is relatively harmless

Question 4

explain the FAPs are not fixed evaluation for ethological explanation of aggression.

Answer 4

• Lorenz’s original view of FAPs is outdated
• Lorenz saw FAPs as innate and unchanging but Hunt pointed out that FAPs are greatly influenced by environmental factors and learning experiences
• e.g. aggressive FAP is typically made up of several behaviours in a series
• the duration of each behaviour varies from one individual to another and even in the same individual from one encounter to another
• modifiable by experience, many ethologists prefer ‘modal behaviour pattern’
  = aggressive behaviour is much more flexible than Lorenz thought especially in humans