EVOLUTIONARY EXPLANATION

• What is the evolutionary explanation?

  An account of the changes in species over millions of years, characteristics that enhance survival and reproduction are naturally selected
• What is a major motivator of aggressive behaviour in males?

  sexual jealousy, men face threat of cuckoldry, it is a waste of resources because it contributed to the survival of his rivals genes and leaves him with fewer resources to invest in his own future offspring, men who could avoid cuckoldry were reproductively successful so psychological mechanisms have evolved to increase anti cuckoldry behaviour in men
• what are mate retention strategies?

  behaviours men employ to prevent their partners straying
• what are the two mate retention strategies?

  Wilson and Daly - direct guarding and negative inducements
• what is direct guarding?

  male vigilance over a partners behaviour eg keeping tabs on them, tracking apps
• what are negative inducements?

  issuing threats of dire consequences for infidelity
• what is the link between mate retention strategies and violence?

  women who reported mate retention strategies in their partners were more likely to have suffered physical violence at the hands of their partners
• What was Shackleford et als prosecute?

  107 married couples who had been married less than a year completed different questionnaires. Men - mate retention inventory (behaviours) Women - spouse influence report (extent of violence)
• what were the findings of Shakleford et als study?

  strong positive correlation between men’s reports of mate retention and women’s reports of partners physical violence
• what is the evolutionary explanation of bullying?

  it is an adaptive behaviour as it consists of behaviour that would aid survival in the environment of evolutionary adaptedness such as: dominance, strength, acquisition of resources, warding off potential rivals
• How is bullying adaptive for men?

  Volk et al found that characteristics associated with bulling behaviour are attractive to opposite sex. Suggests dominance, acquisition of resources and strength. this gives them greater access to more females which means greater reproductive success therefore it was naturally selected
• how is bullying adaptive for females?

  seen as a means of controlling a partners infidelity so they continue to devote resources to them and their offspring in the future
• Evaluation point 1

  STRENGTH research support

  Shacklefords study on intimate partner violence. suggests risks of infidelity, cuckoldry and aggression are linked and supports predictions from the explanation about the adaptive value
• Evaluation point 2

  LIMITATION of research

  Shacklefords research was only a very strong correlation, this does not mean causation
• Evaluation point 3

  STRENGTH explanation explains gender differences

  males engage more often in aggressive acts than females. Campbell argues aggression in females risks their survival of offspring so a more adaptive strategy is to use verbal aggression to retain a partner who provides resources. valid
• Evaluation point 4

  STRENGTH real life application

  Rigby reviewed several established anti-bullying interventions, found that despite availability of intervention bullying still remains, bullies must gain something from bullying, most interventions fail to recognise that they gain power, would make no sense to give up without some compensation. Can help devise effective anti-bullying interventions