the ethological explanations of aggression

Question 1

explain adaptive functions of aggression?

Answer 1

• ethological approach believe aggression is adaptive
• defeated animals are rarely killed, but forced to find new land = reduced competition
• also establishes dominance

Question 2

evaluate a strength of adaptive functions of aggression?

Answer 2

• study into group of young women observed that aggression played an important role in some kids dominance of the others
• adaptive= as dominance over others brings benefits e.g.getting your own way

Question 3

explain ritualistic aggression?

Answer 3

• lorenz found that fights between animals consisted of ritualistic signalling e.g. displaying claws
• confrontations usually ended with appeasement to indicate defeat

Question 4

evaluate a weakness of ritualistic aggression?

Answer 4

WEAKNESS

• chimp genocide
• male chimps from 1 community began to slaughter members from another
• violence continued even tho victims offered signals of surrender
• contradicts ethological approach to aggression

Question 5

evaluate a weakness of the animal focus of ritualistic aggression?

Answer 5

WEAKNESS

• focus’ on animal studies
• cannot make generalisations to humans from animal behaviour, as they are a completely different species

Question 6

explain innate releasing mechanisms and fixed action patterns?

Answer 6

• IRM is an innate releasing mechanism, physiological process
• an environmental stimulus triggers IRM- releases specific sequence of behaviour (FAP) which has 6 main features

Question 7

what does FAP stand for give 3 examples?

Answer 7

• fixed action potential
  
  1. unchanging sequence of behaviour
  2. unaffected by learning, same for everyone
  3. angry, once triggered, follows course/cant be altered

Question 8

evaluate a strength of innate releasing mechanisms?

Answer 8

STRENGTH

• MAOA gene is a associated with aggressive behaviour in humans, suggesting an innate basis
• ethological explanation believes aggression is genetically determined to be heritable = valid

Question 9

evaluate a weakness of FAP’s

Answer 9

• Claims FAP’s only have 6 main features
• sequences of behaviour aren’t that fixed, and are actually influenced by environmental factors, therefore FAP’s are more flexible