Evolutionary Explanation Flashcards
What is the evolutionary explanation for aggression
The belief that aggression has evolved because it solved challenges faced by our distant ancestors and so become more widespread in the gene pool, through the process of natural selection
What is cuckoldry
The fear in men that they may be raising another man’s offspring and so investing resources in offspring that are not their own genetic makeup
What is sexual jealousy
An adaptation evolved in males to deal with parental uncertainty
What are mate retention strategies
Violent strategies driven by sexual jealousy which aim to prevent the female from mating with other males
What are two mate-retention strategies
- Direct-guarding
- Negative inducements
What is direct-guarding
Restricting the female’s freedom to prevent males from gaining access (eg. Checking who they’ve been seeing, installing tracking apps on their mobiles etc.)
What are negative inducements
Issuing aggressive threats regarding potential infidelity (eg. ‘I will kill myself if you leave me’)
What is the evolutionary explanation for bullying
- male bullying is adaptive because it signals desirable characteristics for females (eg. Dominance) and so increasing chances of sexual reproduction
- female bullying is adaptive as they use bullying behaviour to secure partner’s fidelity so they will continue to provide resources for future offspring: enhanced reproductive success
Describe a study that shows support for the evolutionary explanation for aggression
Shackleford et al. (2005) found a strong positive correlation between males who showed mate-retention strategies and physical violence to their partner
What is a limitation to Shackleford’s study
Use of self-report techniques which are prone to social desirability bias: lowering internal validity of results
