Evolutionary explanations of human aggression Flashcards
Jealousy:
Cuckoldry and sexual jealousy,
men can never been entirely sure they are the father of their children and so run the risk of cuckoldry. The adaptive functions of sexual jealousy would be to deter a mate from infidelity and hence minimise the risk of cuckoldry
What is cuckoldry?
Reproductive costs that a male may encounter when investing in offspring that are not his own.
Jealousy:
What strategies have males evolved for the purpose of keeping a mate?
Violence of the threat of violence . Studies of women who have been battered, show that in the majority of cases, women cite jealousy as a cause of violence towards them.
Jealousy:
Extreme violence between couples
Male sexual jealousy is claimed as the most common motivation for killings in couple disputes in the US. A study concluded of same-sex marriages, male to males murders 92% whereas women were only 8% with female-female couples.
Jealousy:
Research is gender bias
The research focuses on male jealousy and male strategies whereas women also engage in violence and have strategies too. A study found that women were twice as likely to murder out of jealously as men.
Jealousy:
What is the research support for a relationship between sexual jealousy, mate-retention strategies and violence?
Men who suspected their partner to have an affair over the next year used greater punishment for a known or suspected infidelity. Supporting the adaptive response to a potential infidelity.
Jealousy:
what is the real world application of this?
It can show early signs of potential violence against a partner. The findings from studies can be used to alert friends and family members of the potential violence that may occur and so help can be sought and offered.
Jealousy:
Is the basis for aggression pre-programmed in us?
A study found that men and women respond differently to imagined scenes depicting infidelity. Men showed greater activation in areas of the brain associated with aggression when presented with scenes depicting sexual infidelity and visa versa.
Jealousy:
The research doesn’t tell us the whole story
Our understanding of the relationship is limited. It doesn’t tell us who is responsible for the infidelity of whether the degree of infidelity is important.
Infidelity:
What is sexual coercion?
Essentially rape.
Using a measure of force e.g drugs to get someone to have sex with you without their consent.
Infidelity:
Sexual coercion
A consequence of men’s perception of infidelity is sexual coercion. Sexual assault of a female was directly linked with the perceived risk of her infidelity. Female victims of rape are more likely to have engaged in extra-marital sex.
Infidelity:
Violence towards pregnant partners
A man lowers his reproductive success if his partner becomes pregnant by another man and he then runs the risk of cuckoldry. The type of violence directed towards a pregnant female is to terminate the baby, leaving her free to bear offspring for him and eliminating the offspring of a rival.
Infidelity:
What is Uxorocide
wife killing
Infidelity:
Uxorocide
Men can guard against their partner’s infidelity by giving benefits or inflicting costs. Not all men can give benefits so they are more prone to inflicting costs-including violence. The death of a partner from physical violence is an unintended consequence of an adaptation designed for control rather than death.
Infidelity:
There is research support for the link between infidelity and partner violence.
The risk of a partner’s infidelity predicts sexual coercion among males but not females, this is consistent because only males are at risk of cuckoldry. Men convicted of raping their partner were found to have experienced cuckoldry prior to their offense.
