AO1

• Ethological explanation stresses the adaptive value of animal behaviour
• Fixed action pattern is a repertoire of stereotyped behaviours which occur in specific conditions and which don't require learning
• Innate releasing mechanism is a neutral network that, when stimulated by the presence of a sign stimulus, communicates with motor circuits to activate the fixed action pattern associated with that sign stimulus
• Characteristics of FAP

  • Stereotyped
  • Universal
  • Independent of individual experience
  • Ballistic
  • Specific triggers
• The Hydraulic Model of instinctive behavior (Lorenz 1950)

  • Lorenz said that all creatures build up a reservoir of Action Specific Energy – you could call it “pent up aggression”. When the Innate releasing mechanisms [IRM] trigger the Fixed Action Pattern [FAP] all the aggression is fired off.
  • Once it is out of the system the animal is less aggressive again till the level of Action Specific Energy has built up again.
• Ethology is where we learn about human psychology from studying animals in their native habitats.
• Conrad Lorenz (1950) proposed that aggression was an innate adaptive drive – something which had evolved in humans and animals to help them survive.
• IRMs stops aggression being expressed
• FAPs are innate and are not learnt from other members
• Aggression increases the chance of survival of a species - through appeasement following an aggressive confrontation, the ‘loser’ will seek out new territory, increasing the scope of the resources of the species and so increasing their chances of survival
• aggression acts as a method of increasing one’s social status within a hierarchy, as demonstrated by Pettit et al (1988) who found that young children use aggressive tactics in playgrounds to assert their authority, lead the others and have their way.
• Fixed action pattern = FAP
• Innate releasing mechanism = IRM