Evolutionary group display Flashcards
(31 cards)
What can aggression increase?
Fitness, by providing access to resources and sexual partners
What is meant by the term group display of aggression?
When one group is aggressive to another group as a whole
What are examples of group displays of aggression?
Warfare
Xenophobia
Which is the ultimate group display of aggression?
War
Evolutionary psychologists believe that origins of war can be described as a maladaptive behaviour which decreases access to food, land and mating opportunities. True/false?
False.
War is adaptive as it can provide increased access to these things
The risks of war are high, so why do humans still fight in wars?
If the resources are scarce and victory can be assured
What can most wars be related to?
Gaining resources
What evidence is there that shows war increases male mating opportunities?
Observations of the Yanamamo tribe in the Amazon rainforest, they abduct women from neighbouring villages during conflict.
Do evolutionary psychologists believe that one of the original purposes of war was to demonstrate sexual violence?
Yes
What figure of women were raped in Bosnia during the Yugoslavian conflict?
20,000 muslim women were raped by Serbs, it was an organised attempt to impregnate the Bosnian women and raise Serbian children
What does the Yugoslavian conflict mean for the men?
They have increased chances of reproductive success and gaining resources through this sexual aggression they demonstrated
How do the Pygmies live, in Central Africa?
In co-operative friendliness
What does the lifestyle of the pygmies suggest for the evolutionary theory?
That it is reductionist as learning may be a more significant factor than biology but it is not taken into account
What does a behaviour have to be in order to be considered adaptive,?
Found in all cultures and across species
What do evolutionary explanations of aggression propose?
That aggression is an adaptive response
There could be something unique about the Pygmies environment that means war is not adaptive-true or false?
True
War is a uniquely human activity which may be a consequence of what?
Human ability to plan ahead and consider consequences
War has become more complex over time.. In what ways?
Initially it was to gain riches and resources
Now soldiers do not get rich, the people who decide to start a war do.
What is xenophobia?
Also known as ethnocentrism, is the dislike of/ prejudice against people from other countries and demonstrating aggression to these groups
Give an example of where xenophobia can be found? And in what way?
International sporting events.
Racist chants are often sung at the opposing team.
Evolutionary psychologists believe what has caused this intolerance to develop?
Natural selection has favoured the genes that cause this altruism for their own group and intolerance of other groups, in humans.
Why do evolutionary psychologists think this is the case?
As it would have prompted our ancestors to be suspicious towards strangers, helping them to avoid attack
Another explanation for the evolution of group displays in sport is based on…?
Based on territoriality
What is territoriality?
The protective response to an invasion of one’s territory
