Ethological Explanations

Question 1

Innate releasing mechanisms

Answer 1

Neural circuits which prompt the release of aggressive behaviour in the form of a fixed action pattern when the drive for aggression builds up

Question 2

Fixed action patterns

Answer 2

aggressive behaviours which occur in response to inate releasing mechanisms prompting release of aggressive behaviour when the drive builds up to release or satiate the drive-Universal, fixed and species specific, aggression is a fixed action pattern triggered in response to the IRM to satiate the drive

Question 3

Ethological theory of aggression

Answer 3

We have an innate releasing mechanism which controls aggression, aggression is a drive which builds up and needs to be satiated, the IRM is triggered in response to a stimulus which triggers a fixed action pattern of aggressive behaviour to release the drive.

Question 4

Tinbergen

Answer 4

Observed that male sticklebacks have a fixed action pattern to attack other male sticklebacks in their territory as all male sticklebacks showed the same behaviour and immediately attacked the male models

Question 5

Generalisability

Answer 5

Cannot tell us about human aggression or if humans have fixed action patterns as it lacks generalisability

Question 6

Validity

Answer 6

Aggression in humans isn’t universal, not all humans will act aggressive in the same situation and not all exhibit aggressive behaviour thus aggression cannot be a universal fixed action pattern in humans and the explanation lacks validity

Question 7

Biological explanations

Answer 7

Human research suggests the limbic system provides a biological mechanism faciliating aggression, aggression is the result of biological structures and limbic system abnormalities, not an innate releasing mechanism-lacks validity