Evolution

AO1 – What it is

• Evolution describes how certain characteristics aid survival and are therefore passed on through natural selection.

• Humans share common ancestors, so behaviours that helped survival in the past may still be present today.

• Aggression is a human behaviour that may have evolved over time and may be a survival trait, helping with things like defending against threats, getting food and competing for mates.

• Through sexual selection, males may show aggression to compete for females, and females choose males with desirable traits.

• Aggression can also be shown in men and women through jealousy and mate guarding, where individuals use strategies such as violence or financial control to prevent their partner from finding a new mate and to increase reproductive success.

AO3 – Strength (supporting evidence – natural selection)

• A strength of this idea of natural selection comes from evidence.

• For example, Bernard Kettlewell (1950s) found evidence that moths who fitted the environment (camouflage) survived more than those who did not which meant reproductive success.

• Therefore highlighting how evolutionary theory can help to explain why certain characteristics survive and are passed.

AO3 – Critique (animal research)

• However, we need to acknowledge that this research and much research on evolution is on animals and humans may not have evolved in the same way.

• Therefore we need to be cautious when generalising to human behaviour.

AO3 – Strength (supporting evidence – mate guarding)

• A strength of this comes from research support.

• For example, Todd Shackelford surveyed 461 men and 560 women in committed relationships. They found a positive correlation between men who used mate retention techniques such as violence.

• The women’s results confirmed this correlation. This highlights the use of aggression to mate guard.

AO3 – Weakness (culture / alternative explanation)

• However, evolutionary theory cannot account for all reasons behind aggression.

• For example, it may be the culture in which you are brought up. In areas of Brazil, aggression is encouraged and seems to be praised and common in this culture, however Kung San people are discouraged from childhood and therefore it is rare.

• This is a weakness as it shows how other factors such as culture and socialisation may influence aggression and not just evolution.

Conclusion

In conclusion it is clear that adaptive behaviours do evolve and this can possibly impact human behaviour, however, what makes humans special is their complex behaviour and the interaction between their genes and their cultural and social environments which means evolution in terms of genetics is only likely to be part of the picture.