Evolution and Aggression Flashcards
Evolution and Aggression
males
Is Theory suggest that males and motivated to acquire status since a higher status mailed of access to more mates and Resources for survival
and would be more likely to be selected by females as they have a better chance to guarantee the survival of her and her offspring with these resources
Due to this it would be costly not to engage in Conflict with other males to fight over these resources, status and the mates
This aggressive behavior may be utilized to prevent the female from leaving and this may be why males may experience sexual jealousy today
Low status males have to engage in high risk strategies to enhance their chance of reproduction
Evolution and Aggression
females
The theory suggests that females are less aggressive due to the cost of aggression out weighing the benefits
Out of the two patterns it is more important for the mother to survive because her presence is more critical for the survival of the Offspring
A woman has nothing to explain by exhibiting aggression since their aim is not to gain high status but to secure valuable men
This is why they have evolved low risk indirect strategies for example using gossip to reduce the attractiveness of competing females
Evolution and Aggression
evidence + (status murderers daly and willson 1985)
Dallyand Willson 1985
this study supports the evolution theory as they found that the motivation behind murder is Status
this is especially true when both of the people during the murder are of the same socio-economic class as the murderer is trying to one-up the other person this supports the explanation that males main goal is to acquire a high status and therefore it supports the evolution theory
Evolution and Aggression
bad research (no falsify as 1000 yrs ago)
Evolutionary psychological hypothesis are on human behavior from thousands of years ago and can’t be scientifically tested or falsified this decreases the validity and reliability of the research as it is being based on assumptions and therefore is subjective and invalid
this decrease the internal validity of the theory
Evolution and Aggression
Alt SLT and credibility Hormones
Behaviors as it can be more objectively observed and overall is more valid than the Assumption of the behavior of thousand years ago
for example Bandora’s 1961, 63 and 65 studys were all observed and agreed on by researchers who all came to the same conclusion that the children imitated the aggression
this is more reliable and valid than evolutionary explenation’s asumptions that could be very wrong as there is no way to objectivly prove them
therefore SLT is a better explanation to aggression than the evolutionary explanation
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The aggression between males over resources and mates compared to the lack of physical aggression from females is supported by hormones as in males that is a large quantity of testosterone which has been found to be linked to aggression this hormone is in a lower quantity in females hence the lower levels of physical aggression and possibly an explanation to higher levels of verbal aggression gossip to make other females seem less attractive to males
so she can be with him
This therefore have credibility to the evolutionary theory and its linked to aggression
Evolution and Aggression
conclusion and aplication
In conclusion the evolutionary explanation to aggression is mainly based on assumptions and hypothesis of behavior from a thousand years ago it can’t be scientifically tested verified or falsified and therefore is a invalid explanation of aggression
This explanation of aggression has very little modern-day application other than primates that may experience similar brains and societies so they may experience the competition for resources and mates and sexual jealousy that is described by this explanation
Evolution and Aggression
evaluate order
small intro
Males recorses class and mate
females find mate +resorces for child
evidence + daly and willson 1985
bad research falsify
alt - SLT is better
conclusion evolution theory bad
aplucation primates
EVO AND AGG
evidence - yanomano south am males
evo cant explain culture diff
In South America yanomano mahilz need violence to acquire status
BUT
the people of !kung san
Aggression leads to reputational damage
This shows that these two cultures are different and the explanation does not account for both of them
therefore it cannot complete a complete view on human aggression
Meaning that the existence of these different cultures is evidence against the evolution theory of aggression
Evolution and aggression good research
and good evi
bus 1987 and 89
Bus 1987 and 1989 found that men value female chastity highly while women value Faithfulness in men highly
This fits with the evolutionary theory of aggression which states that men are likely to pursue females who are perceived to be more fertile so family can be made with them as well
as it also stating that females are likely to go for men Who are likely to stay with them and provide for the family and their baby
This therefore makes this a piece of evidence that supports the evolutionary theory of aggression in biological psychology
during this study he used a sample of 37 different cultures increasing the generalizability of the results
as it was no longer ethnocentric as it included many different types of Cultures within the result
therefore making this study an example of a good research for evolution and aggression as it has good generalizability
Evidence to support evolution and aggression for aggression in females
Griskevicius et al 2009
Griskevicius et al 2009
Shows sex differences in aggression exist both fought Direct physical aggression in which men exhibit more and indirect verbal and psychological aggression which females exhibit more
this supports the evolution theory of aggression as it states that females tends to use low risk indirect strategies in terms of aggression to reduce the attractiveness of competing females for a desired male
therefore making this evidence to support evolution and aggression
Evolutionary theory of aggression is reductionist
The evolutionary theory of aggression is reductionist as it suggests that we have evolved aggression as a behavior for an organic cause of mating
This entirely exclude psychological explanations such as social learning theory
Such as bandora’s 1961 study that demonstrated children imitate the aggression of role models
As the evolutionary theory of aggression ignores environmental influences of aggression such as this
it is therefore reductionist as factors that may affect aggressions such as this are not considered in the explanation
therefore possibly making it incomplete and invalid as a stand alone explanation of aggression
The evolutionary theory of aggression is deterministic
Theory of aggression is deterministic as it suggests that we have little or no control over our behavior and that’s we are being controlled by biological factors and therefore ignoring the role of free will
However aggression has a range of causation or factors which can involve free will which further adds evidence that this theory has low credibility due to this common knowledge
Free will to do aggression such as verbal aggression when shouting at somebody, this is usually not provoked by biological factors of attempting to win over a mate
As this may be due to a simple Factor such as shouting at the television when your football team is losing
as the evolutionary theory of aggression suggests that aggression is a result of biological Instincts to win over a mates by protecting them or defeating opposition and therefore ignoring the role of free will as demonstrated by most forms of aggression
It shows that the evolutionary theory of aggression is not only deterministic but the simple fact that free will and aggression does exist reduces its credibility as an explanation of aggression
The evolutionary theory of aggression and brain structure
Suggests that brain structure is linked with aggression
It suggests that aggression is an emotion that leads to survival in certain environments and there is an ability to switch it on and off
It is suggested that the old brain otherwise known as the limbic system is linked to this
In the model it is demonstrated that external stimuli activate three areas of the brain to prepare the body for aggression
example if a bear appeared
the left amygdala can detect threats in the environments if it’s detects one it will send a signal to the adrenaline gland to release adrenaline to prepare the body for flight or fight
• this causes the body to increase heart rates increase blood to the muscles so they get more oxygen therefore getting the body ready for action however this also gets the body ready for violence
The hypothalamus would signal for more testosterone to be produced to get the body physically ready
The thalamus would send a warning to reduce serotonin as this usually would inhibit the amygdala without serotonin it allows the amygdala to better insight the body to get into a state of flight or fight
Once these three parts of the brain are ready the signals are all sensitive prefrontal cortex which decides whether or not they should be aggressive in the situation
It is also suggested the prefrontal cortex has evolved over time to adapt to societal changes
for example to be less aggressive over certain things such as jokes with more rational thinking and less impulsive action while developing complex emotions such as empathy
