ethological explanation

• what is ethology

  study of animals in their natural environment within evolutionary context
• ethological approach in aggression

  considers drives and instincts which cause aggression

  • adaptive aiding survival
  • pass on genes so instincts concentrated in gene pool
  • as adaptive for natural selection
  • eg. Fixed Action Patterns (FAP's) and innate releasing mechanisms
• Fixed action patterns and innate releasing mechanisms

  do not require learning and occur when stimulus present (triggered)

  1. sign stimulus - trigger FAP's
  2. neural mechanisms (innate releasing mechanisms) produce a Fixed action pattern
  3. FAP has reservoir of Action specific energy builds up overtime
  4. sign stimulus causes release of energy
  5. ASE must be rebuilt for FAP to be triggered again
• FAP and IRM in aggression

  sign stimulus = intruder

  FAP sequence of aggressive behaviour

  usually follows ritualistic pattern

  • threat display - assess strength of opponent and decide if worth escalating (need to pass on genes/ not conductive for members of same species to kill each other)
  • eg. mountain gorillas - pound chest and hoot
• FAP's for conflict within species

  Lorenz - animals with dangerous weapons with species have FAP's to prevent death

  eg. wolves - expose throat in submission (sign stimulus for FAP of no attack)
• Fixed action pattern

   preprogrammed, instinctive sequence of behaviors in an animal
• Innate releasing mechanism

  a biological structure or process that triggers a specific behavioral response (FAP) when an organism is exposed to a particular stimulus
• AO3: strength stickleback fish

  Tinbergen

  • male fish given territory
  • model fish no red = no aggression
  • model fish red = aggression regardless of shape

  colour is the sign stimulus and triggers FAp to protect territory and reproductive opps.

  support ecological approach
• AO3: weakness deterministic

  • no choice to attack - preprogrammed machine
  • response to sign stimulus is unpreventable
  • despite developed prefrontal cortex - not reflective of Humans developed abilities - control aggressive impulses
• AO3: weakness incomplete explanation

  only explains instantaneous aggression in response to stimulus - reactive

  • doesn't consider moral reasoning/empathy
  • doesn't account for planned aggression (war)
  • perhaps, technology has outpaced evolution - made FAP's due to development of technology as no longer useful as no sign stimulus and response calculated
• AO3: support in humans

  Dani people of Papa New Guinea

  • ritualised warfare to avoid deadly encounters but settle disputes
  • warrior charge as a group calling
  • size up opponent
  • threaten but don't throw spears

  no cause and effect - behaviours may be cultural rather than innate - lack of evidence to conclude that as a result of FAP