ethological explanations of aggression Flashcards
(8 cards)
ethological explanation
- all individuals of same species , have set of instinctive behaviours, that are consistent and universal with that species
ritualistic aggression
- series of behaviour, carried out in set order
- e.g threat displays
ao1 - innate releasing mechanisms
Lorenz said = aggression in animals = innate , aggressive behaviour , built up over time and needs to be released
- irm = built in biological system
triggered by specific environemtal signals, sign stim ( specific facial expression/movements)
when triggered , irm activates as faps , pre programmed sequence of behaviours that occur in the same way
faps are automatic , instinctive responses that dont change , even if enviro changes
ao1- fixed acton patterns - faps
- psychological behaviours trigged by irms - found by lea 1984
- stereotyped - behaviour always occurs in the same way
- universal -same for all of the members in the species
- unaffected by learning- behaviour happens automatically, even if animal hasn’t been taught it
- ballistic - once triggered , can’t be changed/stopped
- single purpose- behavouir only occurs in specific situation , not in any other
- specific trigger- behaviour always triggered by particular stim e.g red spot
research into irms and faps
tinbergen , studied male stickleback fish , become territorial during mating season , develop red spot under belly
found that whenever another male stickleback enters territory , shows faps of aggressive bahvoir
sign stim = red underbelly
if belly is hidden/not there , fish doesn’t attack
also found that when faps triggered , doesn’t stop u until completion ,
supports idea that aggression in animals can be innate
limitation , animal studies
human aggression more complex , cant generalise to humans w animal studies e.g fish
limitation , slt
slt shows that aggression can be learnt
contradicts idea that aggression purely innate , triggered auto
