Evolution, natural selection and aggression Flashcards
What are the fours areas that we study in this topic?
Evolution by natural selection
The process of natural selection
Sexual selection
Evolution and aggression
What is the key factor of evolution by natural selection?
Reproduction - passing on the new characteristics/genes that are vital for survival.
What is meant by ‘survival of the fittest’?
Characteristics that best match or ‘fit’ the demands of the environment.
The outcome of selection is adaptation - the average survivors are better suited to life in the current environment than the average predecessors.
What is sexual selection?
The influence of evolution acting on the success of reproduction (rather than foremost for survival).
E.g. the peacock’s tail appears to threaten the male bird’s survival but the advantage for the male is that his tail is attractive to females.
How are evolution and aggression linked in humans?
Protecting yourself, partner and offspring would have enhanced survival and reproduction.
E.g. human parents direct aggressive acts towards other people who threaten their children.
Aggression protects parents’ ‘investment’ and is one of the very few situations in which females behave as aggressively as males.
What is a strength of evolutionary theory in relation to gender?
It can explain gender differences in aggression which increases the validity of the theory of natural selection.
Cooperative females are likely to be naturally selected because cooperation protects them and their offspring.
Aggressive males are likely to be naturally selected because they make better hunters.
Why is the evolutionary explanation uncertain (weakness)?
It is impossible to test evolution directly.
Most research is correlational which means that the variables are only measured and not manipulated, therefore does not allow us to draw cause and effet conclusions.
What is a further weakness in relation to culture?
Evolutionary theory does not explain cultural differences.
Kung San people of the Kalahari are discouraged from aggression in childhood and is therefore rare.
Yanomami of Venezuela have been described as ‘the fierce people’ and aggression is accepted to gain status.
Who provided evidence for the evolutionary theory and therefore helps us to understand human relationships?
Buss (1989) found in 33 countries that males preferred younger, more attractive women (enhances their reproductive success because such women are more likely to be fertile).
Females preferred older, wealthier and ambitious men (likely to enhance their reproductive system because their children are well supported).
