Ethological explanations

• Ethological explanation of aggression

  Scientific study of natural animal behaviour
• Innate releasing mechanisms (IRMs)


  • Receive input from sensory recognition circuits stimulated by a specific stimulus (sign stimulus)
  • Communicate with motor control circuits to activate the Fixed Action Pattern associated with that sign stimulus
• Fixed action patterns (FAPs)

  Stereotyped behaviours that are innate and the same in all members of a species, produced by an innate releasing mechanism triggered by a sign stimulus
• Ritualistic aggression


  Aggressive behaviour in the form of threat displays, which help individuals assess their relative strength before escalating a conflict, making physical aggression less likely
• Ritualistic aggression


  • Dani of New Guinea engaged in highly ritualised patterns of intergroup hostility
• Wolves and doves


  Wolves have evolved natural weapons and instinctive inhibitions against using them against their own species, while doves have no such natural weapons or inhibitions
• Lorenz believed humans are more like doves than wolves, as we do not have powerful natural weapons and thus have not developed strong instinctive inhibitions against killing one another
• There are criticisms of an 'instinctive' view of aggression