Evolution And Natural Selection

Question 1

Evolution and natural selection as an explanation for aggression

A01

Answer 1

• Reproductive fitness may play a role in aggression, with males requiring a mate to continue their genetic line. Aggression behaviour could’ve been adapted to maintain influence over the female and prevent her from leaving
• Aggressive behaviour can be assumed to have helped the survival of genes to be passed onto offspring. It could’ve been used to protect a mate or offspring from predators, protecting the continuation of the genetic line

Question 2

Infidelity and Jealously leading to aggression

A01- Female aggression

Answer 2

Aggression may occur in females if they suspect unfaithfulness of the male. This is because the cost of physical resources involved in reproduction is far more expensive than for the male, females rely on the male to provide for her and her offspring in terms of shelter, food and protection as well as survival of her genes. Therefore, she may act aggressively if she suspects infidelity either to drive off, remove or deter other women or punish the man himself to enhance her and her offsprings chance of survival.

On the flip side, women may attempt to drive off the existing mate of the male and use aggression to secure the man and his recourses for her own survival and offsprings.

Question 3

Infidelity and Jealously leading to aggression

A01- Male aggression

Answer 3

A male does not have the same parental certainty as females. Therefore, if he suspects his mate is being unfaithful, this means she might get pregnant by this other male. This causes jealousy which could manifest as aggression towards the female and other male as a male wouldn’t want to devote his own time and resources unknowingly to another male’s child, when it isn’t his own offspring.

Question 4

Evolution in explanation the aggressive behaviour of rape

A01

Answer 4

The aggressive act of rape may be a ‘last resort action’ of a jealous person in passing on their genes and continuing their genetic line. Males lacking resources and unsuccessful in attraction a mate may be jealous of their sexual rivals. This emotion is directed at women as she would likely be fertile and so the rape may result in her pregnancy, allowing the rapist to reproduce. - Male deprivation hypothesis

Question 5

Evolution and aggression

A03- Supporting research

Answer 5

The evolutionary explanation of aggression suggests males may act aggressively in response to infidelity as they don’t want to devote their resources to another mans offspring. Buss (1987,1989) found over 37 cultures males consistently valued female chastity highly, supporting the idea that males want parental certainty and therefore may act aggressively when jealous and suspect the unfaithfulness of their mate.

Question 6

Evolution and aggression

A03- Reductionist

Answer 6

The evolutionary explanation of aggression claims that females may act aggressively due to jealously when they suspect their mate is unfaithful as they depend on their male for resources to ensure the survival of themselves and their offspring. The physical cost of reproduction is far higher for the female and therefore the depend on their mate. However, this explanation fails to take into account individual and cultural differences which could also impact aggression. The complex emotion of aggression is unlikely to be due to one factor, therefore suggesting this explanation is reductive

Question 7

Evolution and aggression

A03-Scientific

Answer 7

Aggression may be due to natural selection, in certain environments it would be useful to protect a mate or offspring and therefore have been developed as an adaptive technique to aid the survival of genes and pass it onto offspring. This is supported by a wealth of scientific research conducted by Darwin, who took careful observations and spent years gathering evidence and developing his theory clearly. Suggesting this explanation is highly credible and valid.

Question 8

Evolution and aggression

A03- Deterministic

Answer 8

Rape is thought to occur as a result of the jealousy of a resource poor male who was unsuccessful in mating of successful males. The jealously directed at females through the aggressive act of rape as a ‘last resort’ to reproduce as she may end up pregnant as a result. This explanation can be criticised as deterministic, it fails to consider the role of free will of individuals, assuming aggression to be an innate response to the need to reproduce and continue a genetic line. This is unlikely to be the case as humans have choices over their behaviour