ethological explanations Flashcards
is animal aggression learnt or innate?
aggression in animals is considered an innate, biologically driven behavior that has evolved for survival purposes
what are ethological studies?
animal studies of behaviour
what is the function of aggression in animals?
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.
what model is used to explain animal aggression?
hydraulic model
what is the hydraulic model?
aggression operates like a hydraulic system—if the instinct to be aggressive builds up, it must be released
what are the 4 steps of the hydraulic model?
- action specific energy builds up over time (ASE)
- sign stimulus stimulates innate releasing mechanism
- innate releasing mechanism communicates to motor control circuits in the brain
- this activates fixed action patterns
what is a sign stimulus
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.
what is an innate releasing mechanism
a neural network that are stimulated by very specific stimuli called a sign stimulus that then trigger an innate fixed action potential
what is a fixed action pattern
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.
what are the 5 characteristics of a FAP?
- stereotyped: behaviour will always occur in the same way
- universal: behaviour is the same across a species
- behaviour is innate
- ballistic: when triggered, the FAP cannot be changed
- each FAP has a specific trigger
what is ritualised aggression?
refers to aggressive behaviors that are non-lethal and often involve posturing or displays of strength rather than actual physical harm
why do animals show ritualised aggression?
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
how do gorillas show ritualistic aggression?
vocalisations such as hooting and chest pounding
what are fearsome weapons?
refers to physical traits or features animals have evolved to display aggression or defend themselves against threats.
what are examples of fearsome weapons?
sharp teeth, claws, or antlers used by animals to fight off rivals or predators
why have animals evolved fearsome weapons?
often ritualized in nature and may be used in aggressive displays to establish dominance rather than to inflict harm
what is the role of fearsome weapons in aggression?
often function as a deterrent, signaling an animal’s ability to defend itself or assert dominance without engaging in a full-blown physical fight
what are instinctive inhibitions?
built-in behaviors or mechanisms that prevent animals from escalating aggressive behavior unnecessarily
what do instinctive inhibitions act as?
self-control mechanisms, allowing animals to assess when aggression is warranted and when to avoid it
what is an example of instinctive inhibitions?
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.
what are the role of instinctive inhibitions in social order?
aggressive interactions are often ritualized and serve to avoid injury, ensuring that conflicts are resolved without harming the group or weakening its survival chances.
how do instinctive inhibitions link to the hydraulic model
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
what research support is there for the ethological explanation of aggression?
Tinbergen’s (1951) experiment with male sticklebacks provides valuable insight into innate releasing mechanisms and fixed action patterns in animal behavior
what was found in the stickleback research?
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.
how does the stickleback research support ethological explanations?
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.
what do ethological explanations ignore the role of?
environmental factors
how might other factors affect animal aggression using an example?
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
how do wild wolves differ from wolves in captivity?
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.
what does the lack of account for environmental factors mean for the ethological explanation?
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
what is a limitation of the ritualised aggression explanation?
some species do kill their own species despite this not performing an evolutionary advantage
how do lions differ from the normal behaviour of animals?
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.
how do chimpanzees differ from other animals?
Goodall:
documented brutal conflicts between chimpanzee groups, where one group systematically slaughtered all members of the rival group
what do the examples of lions and chimpanzees mean for ethological explanations?
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.
what is a limitation with the concept of FAPs?
modal action patterns or behaviour patterns may be more appropriate as they consider environmental factors as well as genetic
what are modal action patterns?
modal action patterns, are also instinctual like FAPs but show some degree of variation between individuals
what is an example of a modal action pattern?
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.
what does modal action patterns mean for the concept of fixed action patterns?
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
