evolutionary explanations

• What are Evolutionary Explanations?

  Based on the assumption that the human brain is a product of evolution where we have evolved adaptions to cope with the challenges of Group living
• What do Duntley and Buss argue?


  These adaptations compromise our human nature, and aggression would have been useful in solving a number of adaptive issues in early humans

  • solving these issues would enhance survival and reproductive success
• A03: Evolutionary explanations cannot explain unnecessary violence


  Explanations are based on mating success, ideas of sexual jealousy and status fail to explain levels of cruelty found in human conflicts which aren’t evident in non human species

  • doesn’t explain wide scale slaughter of whole groups, de-individuation may be a better explanation
• What is the concept of Sexual Jealousy?

  Archer - result of patriarchal uncertainty, where men can never be 100% certain that they are the father of their children

  • risk of ’cuckoldry’
• What is Cuckoldry?

  A reproductive cost that be be inflicted on a man as a result of his partners infidelity, whereby a man may invest his resources in other males offspring
• What does Buss argue?

  Male retention strategies have been developed for a man to keep his partner

  • use of threat of violence towards a perceived love rival
• What can Sexual jealousy cause?

  Sexual jealousy is a primary cause of violence towards women, amd they are at a higher risk if they are perceived to be threatening infidelity

  • Dell - sexual jealousy accounts for 17% of all Uk murders
• A03: Aggression can be maladaptive


  Violent behaviour can result in social exclusion, injury or death

  • Violent males may be rejected as mates
  • Warriors may die in battle

  Suggests that aggression may be more harmful than adaptive

  Duntley and Buss - benefits of aggression outweigh the costs relative to other strategies
• What is the concept of Aggression in Warfare?

  War can be very costly which can seem like an evolutionary disadvantage

  • Livingstone Smith - original purpose of warfare was to obtain valuable resources, attract males and form intragroup bonds
  • male warriors tend to have more sexual partners as displays of aggression and bravery are more attractive to females
• A03: Gender bias


  Explanation doesn’t adequately reflect women’s behaviour

  • Adams - idea of a woman warrior is unheard of, they would have to gain considerably less from fighting in near death situations or lose
• A03: Support from status and aggression from anthropological evidence

  Daly and Wilson

  • tribe groups bestow increased status among men who have committed murder

  Campbell - studied gangs in the USA, most violent members often have highest status among peers

  • males display heightened sensitivity to perceived affronts to their status and reputation
  • Buss - male on male violence results in one males status slightly shifting