ethological explanations

Question 1

is animal aggression learnt or innate?

Answer 1

aggression in animals is considered an innate, biologically driven behavior that has evolved for survival purposes

Question 2

what are ethological studies?

Answer 2

animal studies of behaviour

Question 3

what is the function of aggression in animals?

Answer 3

serves an adaptive function in animal behavior, ensuring the survival of the individual by securing resources and increasing reproductive success by competing for mates or protecting offspring.

Question 4

what model is used to explain animal aggression?

Answer 4

hydraulic model

Question 5

what is the hydraulic model?

Answer 5

aggression operates like a hydraulic system—if the instinct to be aggressive builds up, it must be released

Question 6

what are the 4 steps of the hydraulic model?

Answer 6

1. action specific energy builds up over time (ASE)
2. sign stimulus stimulates innate releasing mechanism
3. innate releasing mechanism communicates to motor control circuits in the brain
4. this activates fixed action patterns

Question 7

what is a sign stimulus

Answer 7

specific environmental cues that trigger a fixed action pattern.

in the context of aggression, these can include the sight of a rival animal or an intruder in a territory.

Question 8

what is an innate releasing mechanism

Answer 8

a neural network that are stimulated by very specific stimuli called a sign stimulus that then trigger an innate fixed action potential

Question 9

what is a fixed action pattern

Answer 9

is an instinctive and stereotypical sequence of actions triggered by specific stimuli, known as releasers.

these are genetically programmed behaviors that are performed in the same way each time they are triggered.

Question 10

what are the 5 characteristics of a FAP?

Answer 10

1. stereotyped: behaviour will always occur in the same way
2. universal: behaviour is the same across a species
3. behaviour is innate
4. ballistic: when triggered, the FAP cannot be changed
5. each FAP has a specific trigger

Question 11

what is ritualised aggression?

Answer 11

refers to aggressive behaviors that are non-lethal and often involve posturing or displays of strength rather than actual physical harm

Question 12

why do animals show ritualised aggression?

Answer 12

serves a more evolutionary, adaptive manner of aggression, allowing animals to assert dominance, defend resources, and establish hierarchies without putting themselves at risk so they can still reproduce and mate

Question 13

how do gorillas show ritualistic aggression?

Answer 13

vocalisations such as hooting and chest pounding

Question 14

what are fearsome weapons?

Answer 14

refers to physical traits or features animals have evolved to display aggression or defend themselves against threats.

Question 15

what are examples of fearsome weapons?

Answer 15

sharp teeth, claws, or antlers used by animals to fight off rivals or predators

Question 16

why have animals evolved fearsome weapons?

Answer 16

often ritualized in nature and may be used in aggressive displays to establish dominance rather than to inflict harm

Question 17

what is the role of fearsome weapons in aggression?

Answer 17

often function as a deterrent, signaling an animal’s ability to defend itself or assert dominance without engaging in a full-blown physical fight

Question 18

what do instinctive inhibitions act as?

Answer 18

self-control mechanisms, allowing animals to assess when aggression is warranted and when to avoid it

Question 19

what is an example of instinctive inhibitions?

Answer 19

for example, a wolf may growl as a warning to another wolf, and if the rival shows submission (e.g., backs off), the conflict is avoided.

Question 20

what are the role of instinctive inhibitions in social order?

Answer 20

aggressive interactions are often ritualized and serve to avoid injury, ensuring that conflicts are resolved without harming the group or weakening its survival chances.

Question 21

how do instinctive inhibitions link to the hydraulic model

Answer 21

the model suggests that aggression is built up and must be released, but instinctive inhibitions prevent over-aggression by ensuring that only necessary and appropriate levels of aggression are expressed in specific contexts

Question 22

what research support is there for the ethological explanation of aggression?

Answer 22

Tinbergen’s (1951) experiment with male sticklebacks provides valuable insight into innate releasing mechanisms and fixed action patterns in animal behavior

Question 23

what was found in the stickleback research?

Answer 23

Tinbergen observed that male sticklebacks would attack other males with a red spot on their underside, a behavior triggered by the presence of the red spot, which was linked to territorial aggression during the mating season.

he tested this by presenting wooden models with and without red spots. The male sticklebacks only attacked the models that had the red spot.

Question 24

how does the stickleback research support ethological explanations?

Answer 24

this experiment supports the idea of innate releasing mechanisms, as the sticklebacks reacted to a specific visual stimulus without prior learning.

the red spot triggered an automatic aggressive response, demonstrating a fixed action pattern, a behavior that occurs in a predictable sequence when triggered by a particular stimulus.

Question 25

what do ethological explanations ignore the role of?

Answer 25

environmental factors

Question 26

how might other factors affect animal aggression using an example?

Answer 26

wolves in captivity may exhibit higher levels of aggression compared to their wild counterparts. in captivity, wolves are confined to smaller spaces, often with limited resources and no opportunity to engage in natural hunting behaviors, which can cause frustration and stress that manifest as increased aggression

Question 27

how do wild wolves differ from wolves in captivity?

Answer 27

wild wolves typically show aggression when defending territory or competing for mates, but their behavior is often more regulated by their environment. they also show ritualised aggression as an adaptive response to avoid harming their own species.

Question 28

what does the lack of account for environmental factors mean for the ethological explanation?

Answer 28

suggests that the environment plays a critical role in influencing aggression, something that ethological explanations often fail to fully account for thus, to fully understand aggression, it is essential to consider both the biological predispositions and the environmental context in which the behavior occurs

Question 29

what is a limitation of the ritualised aggression explanation?

Answer 29

some species do kill their own species despite this not performing an evolutionary advantage

Question 30

how do lions differ from the normal behaviour of animals?

Answer 30

males sometimes kill the cubs of rival males when they take over a pride. this aggression is not ritualistic, and it does not seem to be triggered by a fixed action pattern. instead, the aggressive behavior is believed to be an adaptive strategy to bring the females back into estrus more quickly, but it still carries a high risk of injury to the attacking lion, questioning whether such aggressive acts can always be considered instinctual and adaptive.

Question 31

how do chimpanzees differ from other animals?

Answer 31

Goodall: documented brutal conflicts between chimpanzee groups, where one group systematically slaughtered all members of the rival group

Question 32

what do the examples of lions and chimpanzees mean for ethological explanations?

Answer 32

this type of aggression, with its high risk and lack of direct survival benefit to the attacking group, challenges the notion that aggression is always a predictable and adaptive behavior based on evolutionary needs.

Question 33

what is a limitation with the concept of FAPs?

Answer 33

modal action patterns or behaviour patterns may be more appropriate as they consider environmental factors as well as genetic

Question 34

what are modal action patterns?

Answer 34

modal action patterns, are also instinctual like FAPs but show some degree of variation between individuals

Question 35

what is an example of a modal action pattern?

Answer 35

in dogs, the "prey drive" or the instinct to chase is a common behavior, but not all dogs exhibit the same level of this drive. some dogs may chase cats, while others may not, this variation can be attributed to differences in training, early socialization, or selective breeding that has enhanced certain traits, like chasing behavior, in particular breeds.

Question 36

what does modal action patterns mean for the concept of fixed action patterns?

Answer 36

variability suggests that while aggression or other behaviors may be instinctual, they are not always fixed or predictable in the same way across all individuals