Ethological explanations

• What is the focus of lesson 3 in the aggression series?

  Ethological explanations for aggression
• What does ethology study?

  Animal behavior in natural environments
• Who is one of the founding figures of ethology?

  Conrad Lorenz
• How does Lorenz define aggression?

  As the fighting instinct in beast and man
• What are the two core aspects of the ethological approach to aggression?

  Instinctive and universal across species
• Why do ethologists study non-human animals?

  To extrapolate findings to humans
• What are the three sections of the outline in the video?

  1. Aggression as an Adaptive Behavior
  2. Ritualistic aggression
  3. Innate releasing mechanisms and fixed action patterns
• How does aggression help species survive according to ethology?

  By forcing resource distribution over large areas
• What happens when two animals fight over territory?

  The loser is driven to move elsewhere
• How does aggression shape social structures in communities?

  By allowing individuals to climb social hierarchies
• What did research by Pettit reveal about aggression in children?

  Children use aggression to establish dominance
• What is ritualistic aggression according to Lorenz?

  Behaviors that signal strength without serious conflict
• What is an appeasement display?

  A behavior showing surrender to prevent harm
• Why is ritualistic aggression important for species survival?

  It prevents conflicts from escalating to death
• What are innate releasing mechanisms (IRMs)?

  Preset switches activated by environmental cues
• What is a fixed action pattern (FAP)?

  A sequence of automatic behaviors triggered by IRMs
• What are the six defining features of FAPs according to Lee in 1984?

  Stereotyped, universal, unaffected by learning, ballistic, single purpose, triggered by stimuli
• What did Tinbergen's research on stickleback fish demonstrate?

  Specific stimuli can trigger instinctive responses
• What happens when a male stickleback sees a red spot?

  It triggers an aggressive fixed action pattern
• What limitation does Nisbet's research highlight about aggression?

  Aggression varies across cultures, not purely innate
• How does cultural acceptance affect aggression according to Nisbet?

  It socially reinforces aggression in certain areas
• What anthropological evidence supports ritualized aggression in humans?

  Yanam people use chest pounding to settle conflicts
• What did Goodall observe about chimpanzee aggression?

  Chimpanzees engaged in prolonged inter-group warfare
• How does Goodall's observation challenge the ethological view of aggression?

  It contradicts the idea that appeasement inhibits aggression
• What limitation does Hunt's research present regarding fixed action patterns?

  FAPs can be influenced by environmental factors
• What contemporary term do ethologists use instead of fixed action patterns?

  Modal behavior patterns
• What is the structure of a six Mark outline for aggression?

  1. Introduction to aggression
  2. Adaptive function of aggression
  3. Ritualistic aggression
  4. Innate releasing mechanisms and FAPs
• What is the importance of the breadth-depth tradeoff in essay writing?

  It balances detail with overall coverage
• What can be omitted from the outline to make it shorter?

  Tim Bergen's research can be cut out
• What should students do if they have questions after watching the video?

  Post questions in the comment section