ethological explanations of aggression

Question 1

what is he main function of aggression

Answer 1

adaptive

Question 2

why is aggression benefitial to survial

Answer 2

1. defeated animal is rarely killed
   - forced to set up tertiary elsewhere so members of the species are spread out
   - reduces competition pressure and starvation
2. establishes dominance hierarchies
   - dominance gives male chimpanzees special status

Question 3

what did gregory pettit el al (1988) study

Answer 3

• groups of young children and observed how aggression played an important role in the development of dominance hierarchies

Question 4

what did lorenz (1966) observe

Answer 4

• fights between the same species produce little physical damage

Question 5

examples of ritualistic signalling

Answer 5

• displaying claws
• displaying teeth
  -facial expression of threat

Question 6

what is an appeasement display

Answer 6

• indicates acceptance of defeat and inhibits further display of aggression in the victor

Question 7

what is an innate releasing mechanism

Answer 7

• an inbuilt physiological process which can triggered by an environmental stimulus to release a FAP

Question 8

what is a fixed action pattern

Answer 8

• a behavior sequence

Question 9

main features of a fixed action pattern

Answer 9

1. stereotyped
2. universal
3. unaffected by learning
4. ballistic
   5.single purpose
5. response to an identifiable stimulus

Question 10

what was tingbrgens research (1951)

Answer 10

1. presented male stickleback with wooden models of different shapes
2. stickleback with attack any model with a red underbelly regardless of its shape

Question 11

strenghts of ethological explations

Answer 11

1. support form research related to genetics and evolution
   - MAOA gene
   - twin and adoptive studies
   HOWEVER - aggression differs from culture to culture
   - nisbitt found that homicide rates differ in white american men in north and south US

Question 12

limitations if ethological explanations

Answer 12

1. aggression against members of the same species is not ritualistic
   - Goodall (2010) witnessed a 4 year war wee chimps form 1 groups systemically killed the chimps form another group
   - violence occurred even when appeasement sign wee offered
2. FAPs are not fixed
   - hunt (1973) stated that FAPs are influenced by environmental factors and learned experiences
   - now referred to as model behavior patterns