Evolution and Natural Selection

Question 1

What is aggression like in males?

Answer 1

→ Aggression in males → males are motivated to acquire status since high males have access to mates and resources for survival. → high status males are more likely to be selected by females since they will have better guarantee for the survival of her and her offspring. → not engaging in conflict with other males can therefore be costly. → low status males have to engage in high risk strategies to enhance their chance of reproduction

Question 2

What is aggression like in females?

Answer 2

→ Aggression in females → females are generally viewed as less aggressive since the costs of such behaviours outweighs the benefits. → It is more important for the mother to survive because her presence is more critical to the survival of offspring that father. → a woman has nothing to gain by exhibiting aggression since her aim is not to gain high status but to secure a valuable male. → to end this females have elvoved low risk and indirect strategies in disputes and conflicts e.g they are more likely to gossip, aimed at reducing attractiveness of completing females