Evolutionary explanations Of Group Displays Flashcards
Evolution
-Evo theory; NS = survival of individuals offspring and relatives/non-relatives by process of inclusive fitness. -In EEA where v resources GDagg develop =^food/space/F ^BioFn -GD occur due to common goal shared by IG = cohesiveness and ^hostility towards OG to maintain IG unity. -Conforming to an IG, we ensure individual survival/ ^group survival -TF GDagg adaptive bc protection amounts to reproductive fitness
Warfare
-“Formation of coalition to attack others within same species.” -AT contradictory to evo paradigm as war synonymous death thus vBio fitness. If adaptive benefits of agg beh outweigh P costs for IG -M only fight in coalition if confident of victory/v risk of death. -Success ^status of M warrior = ^attractiveness = ^BioFn. -Winning = ^IG status/control over OG = vital resources. -In our EEA; land, water, fuel, women and ISC slaves. -Acquiring these res ^survival of members of IG and future BioFn.
Chagnon: Yanomamo
-CCE of GDagg having an adaptive advantage -Found successful warriors had more wives and kids than non-successful warriors. -FM most young men who had killed in battle were married, whereas most men who had never killed in battle were not.
Blaut: Ethics
-// v important to consider ethics of studying MHGS -Blaut argues Europeans collect info on Indigenous people, use it to justify their acts of colonial repression and exploitation. -Howell may have felt she can improve Chewong QOL, does not CI. -Highlights the issue of imposed etics; R’s trained in Western institutions don’t understand how their dominant social systems can affect cross-cultural research. -Therefore such research should be carried out in a minimally invasive manner so it does not introduce aggression into the demographic transition of this society.
Carrier et al: Gender differences
-R also finds that evo exp can explain GD in war participation. -M; War adaptive adv = status ^attractiveness to more than 1 F. -//F; reproduction not affected by #of M in society. So F rarely involved in war as Rs more important than risk of going to war. -Carrier et al: GD also illustrated via muscoskeletal comparison; M larger and skeleton especially jawbone more robust = Evo adaption -TF indicating M comp has been important in human evolution. -//in modern tech WF where brute force not as important = less pronounced GD
Montagu: CE (Howell et al, Chewong of Malay peninsula)
-Argues whilst Hagg may be a universal occurrence WF is not. -WF =social construct = ctrl/dom over land/res = certain H societies -Ethnographic R in societies where concept of Agg/WF appear to be entirely absent provide support for this argument. -Howell found that in Chewong people of Malaysia there was no understanding/definition of agg. -Contradicts Evo exp; WF = Evo adp else WF would be universal TF some environmental influences must cause agg TF learned beh.
Lacks explanatory power: cruelty (Biosocial)
-Evo exp of GD cant explain the extreme levels of cruelty post war. -Often Torture/mutilation continue even when OG poses no threat. -This is better explained by concept of DI; ^anonymity from being part of a group lead to lack of inhibitions = uncivilised beh. -TF a more holistic exp is required to understand GDagg eg Biosocial whereby we accept there are innate motivations towards aggression but the environmental pressures in a society determine the way in which these motivations manifest eg WF.
Sports events
-Evo theory used to exp GD at sports events particularly football. -NS specifically inclusive fitness favours genes causing humans be altruistic (selflessly helpful) towards members IG/intolerant to OG -Protect members of IG = survival and continuation of their genes -To protect IG we must display a connection to IG to distinguish IG -In sports = team colours/ways you talk about IG.
Xenophobia in animal kingdom (Wilson) Suspicion = survival (Shaw and Wong)
-“Fear/distrust of strangers” also explain GDagg in sports. -XP documented in virtually every AS displaying higher forms of social organisation eg Chimps. -SaW: “ mechs prompting suspicion to strangers would be favoured by NS as this aids individual and inclusive fitness. -Enabled ancestors to avoid attack = survival and RF. -Evo terms GDagg towards OG expressed during sports events. -Illustrated by banners and chants ridiculing opposing teams.
Cialdini: uni football
-Found after uni team done well: ^tendency to wear clothes associated with uni, also used pronoun ‘we’/’we are number 1’ etc. -Built up an association with successful group. -Also found if team was unsuccessful, supporters more likely to distance themselves from failure using words such as ‘they lost’ TF disassociating themselves from group with lower status.
Limited exp: hooliganism
-Crit of EE is that it can’t exp why FB more prone to hooliganism/GDagg that other sports events. -Can’t exp athletics/Bball/OSE where supporters wear clothes/wave flags to mark group ID don’t show same levels of agg as footy fans -TF other social factors need to be taken into account when exp some sports more ass with agg
RWA: v xenophobia (German)
-Clearly XP can be very ser problem esp when used to promote violence at SE’s. -//football club taken steps to v its influence. -1992 all German teams played in shirts displaying slogan “my friend is a foreigner” to v GDagg. -Reiterates earlier point on necessity 4 SLT exp -Practical application of understating XP at SE, helps v GDagg. -//Bradbury argues that more direct action needs to be taken against XP incidents.
