Evolutionary

Question 1

A01 Darwins Survival Of The Fittest

Answer 1

Aggression is an adaptive response for survival which would have shown benefits for our ancestor. Early humans would have used aggression to gain or defend resources, intimidate rivals or deter mates from infidelity. Aggressive displays that ward off potential rivals enhance status and therefore attract females. In turn this provides greater opportunities for mating and the birth of more offspring to continue the genes of the successful male. Evolutionary psychologists have concluded that that aggression is tactically calculated to help increase the chances of reproduction and survival. This explanation of aggression also explains the evolution of mate retention strategies and the role of jealousy in male aggression linked to infidelity and paternal uncertainty. The evolutionary explanation suggests that men will be more upset by sexual infidelity since they then face the problem of paternal uncertainty whereas women will be more upset by emotional infidelity as they may lose resources

Question 2

Evolutionary explanations

Answer 2

Focus on the adaptive nature of behaviour modern behaviours are believes to have evolved because they solved challenges faced by our distant ancestors and so become more widespread in the gene pool

Question 3

Sexual Competition

Answer 3

Ancestral males would have had to compete with other males for access to females, individuals who used aggression would have been more successful in acquiring mates and passing on their genes to offspring. This would have led to the development of a genetically transmitted tendency for males to be aggressive towards other males.

Question 4

Sexual Jealousy

Answer 4

Male aggression can occur as a result of sexual jealousy which arises as a result of paternal uncertainty. As a result men are always at risk cuckoldry, the reproductive cost inflicted on a man as a result of his partners infidelity.

The adaptive functions of sexual jealousy would have been to deter a mate from sexual infidelity. Minimizing the risk of cuckoldry .

Suggested that sexual jealousy may lead to the use of violence to prevent a partner from straying as well as violence towards a perceived love rival.

Question 5

Aggression in warfare

Answer 5

An evolutionary explanation claims t