Evolutionary Explanations - Competition For Mate/Resources/Status

Question 1

What are the three factors which may contribute to a human murdering another (in relation this this theory)?

Answer 1

Sexual jealousy
Lack of resources
Threats to male status

Question 2

What is sexual jealousy?

Answer 2

A man/woman would murder another man or woman as they are jealous of them and they pose a threat. This ensures their own genes survive.

Question 3

What is a primary cause of same sex aggression?

Answer 3

Sexual jealousy

Question 4

How does murder as a result of sexual jealousy enhance survival?

Answer 4

Because the competition has been eliminated, meaning your genes are more likely to be passed on and survive

Question 5

What is the basic principle of this theory?

Answer 5

Humans may murder other humans to give them greater reproductive success

Question 6

What is lack of resources?

Answer 6

Females are attracted to males who possess resources and will mate with the male best able to provide for their young

Question 7

How does lack resources enhance survival?

Answer 7

Women go for the mate with the most resources, meaning them and their young are more likely to survive and reproduce

Question 8

How does a lack of resources result in aggression?

Answer 8

It increases male to male competition risking the chances of murder. One with less resources kills a man with more resources in order to get the woman and their resources.

Question 9

What is threats to male status?

Answer 9

Females are attracted to males who are dominant over other males and therefore men are shaped by evolution to seek status

Question 10

How does threats to male status cause aggression?

Answer 10

Males may display aggressive behaviour in order to gain higher status

Question 11

How does threats to male status enhance survival?

Answer 11

If a male has a higher status the woman is more likely to be attracted to him and therefore can continue to pass on his gene pool

Question 12

What studies link to this theory?

Answer 12

Buss et al

Daly and Wilson

Question 13

What were Buss et al’s results?

Answer 13

60% of men more distressed at idea of sexual infidelity compared to 17% of women, 83% of women more distressed at man falling in love compared to 40% of men

Question 14

How do Buss et al’s results support the theory?

Answer 14

It would support the idea men may be aggressive towards another male or the female because there is less certainty the child is his thus meaning his genes haven’t survived. And women may be aggressive towards competition because they will lose their resources of the man falls in love.

Question 15

What supports sexual jealousy and an evolutionary imperative to dominate other males?

Answer 15

Daly and Wilson

Question 16

What were Daly and Wilson findings?

Answer 16

92% of murders which involved love triangles were committed by men compared to 8% of humans

Question 17

What do Daly and Wilsons findings support?

Answer 17

Sexual jealousy and an evolutionary imperative to dominate other males increases aggression between males

Question 18

What is the relevant debate to evolutionary explanations of aggression?

Answer 18

The research and theory is heterocentric

Socially sensitive

Question 19

Explain the heterocentric debate…

Answer 19

If aggression is directly linked to ensuring the survival of our gene pools then this theory does not apply to same sex relationships as these don’t involve raising offspring. Males in same sex relationships would not indulge in safe guarding to stop their mate being impregnated. This means there must be another explanation for aggressive, controlling behaviour

Question 20

In terms of same sex relationships what would be a better explanation of aggression? (In relation to debate)

Answer 20

Aggression is a result of attachment and fear of abandonment