The Ethological Explanation of Aggression (OCR A-Level Psychology): Flashcards
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Ethological explanation of aggression
Ethological explanation of aggression
Understands human aggression by studying animals in natural habitat
Adaptive (in ethological terms)
Adaptive (in ethological terms)
Beneficial for survival
Fixed action pattern
Fixed action pattern
Innate, fixed behaviours from specific sign stimuli
Fixed action pattern: universal characteristic
Fixed action pattern: universal characteristic
All species members show same behaviour
Ballistic (fixed action pattern)
Ballistic (fixed action pattern)
Cannot be stopped once initiated
Innate releasing mechanism
Innate releasing mechanism
Specific neurons that produce a fixed action pattern
Ritualistic aggression
Ritualistic aggression
Behaviours to threaten others without harming them
Human ritualistic aggression examples
Human ritualistic aggression examples
Clenched fist, gritted teeth, raised voice
Purposes of aggression (ethological)
Purposes of aggression (ethological)
Access resources, protect territory, ritualistic
Animal vs human need for aggression
Animal vs human need for aggression
More present in animals than humans
Cultural differences in aggression suggest
Cultural differences in aggression suggest
Aggression not innate, perhaps learned
Where are innate releasing mechanisms present?
Where are innate releasing mechanisms present?
Only in animals, not humans
Human response similar to fixed action pattern
Human response similar to fixed action pattern
Fight or flight response
Why ethological explanation not universal in humans
Why ethological explanation not universal in humans
People react differently to situations
Timbergen 1951 findings
Timbergen 1951 findings
Innate fixed action patterns in stickleback fish aggression