Chapter 10 Aggression and Warfare Lecia E. Wright Creighton University November 07 and 09, 2006.

Chapter 10Chapter 10Aggression and WarfareAggression and Warfare

Lecia E. WrightLecia E. Wright

Creighton UniversityCreighton University

November 07 and 09, 2006November 07 and 09, 2006

OverviewOverview

Today: AggressionToday: Aggression

Thursday: WarfareThursday: Warfare

We will have an open discussion for the We will have an open discussion for the majority of class on Thursday, so please majority of class on Thursday, so please come prepared to talk and share your come prepared to talk and share your thoughts on warfare as they relate to EPthoughts on warfare as they relate to EP

I will be pointing out things to keep in mindI will be pointing out things to keep in mind

AggressionAggression

Why are people aggressive? Who is Why are people aggressive? Who is aggressive? Explanations? aggressive? Explanations?

Humans and chimpanzees are unique in Humans and chimpanzees are unique in that they are the only two species that that they are the only two species that show male-initiated, territorial aggressionshow male-initiated, territorial aggression

Aggression as a Solution to Aggression as a Solution to Adaptive ProblemsAdaptive Problems

Coopt the Resources of OtherCoopt the Resources of Other:: humans have a lot of things that other humans humans have a lot of things that other humans

might desire and aggressive behavior is one way might desire and aggressive behavior is one way of gaining access to those thingsof gaining access to those things

Can happen at the group or the individual levelCan happen at the group or the individual level Can be seen in at an early age through Can be seen in at an early age through

adulthoodadulthood Even the threat of aggression can be enough to Even the threat of aggression can be enough to

get a resource desiredget a resource desired


Warfare has frequently been used in order Warfare has frequently been used in order to coopt resources from others (something to coopt resources from others (something we shall discuss later)we shall discuss later)

Question for Thursday? Is this idea Question for Thursday? Is this idea applicable to today's warfare?applicable to today's warfare?


Defend against attackDefend against attack::Presence or threat of aggression is Presence or threat of aggression is

problematic for potential victimsproblematic for potential victims In response, people become aggressive In response, people become aggressive

themselves to ward off attackthemselves to ward off attackAre there any problems with this? Are there any problems with this?


Inflict Costs on Intrasexual Rivals:Inflict Costs on Intrasexual Rivals: Same sex individuals are in competition Same sex individuals are in competition

for the same resources (women for the same resources (women especially)especially)

Cost to the rival is a benefit to the perpCost to the rival is a benefit to the perpAggression to disable the rival can take Aggression to disable the rival can take

various formsvarious forms


Negotiate Status and Power Hierarchies:Negotiate Status and Power Hierarchies:Similar to ability to defend against attackSimilar to ability to defend against attackAggression functions to increase one’s Aggression functions to increase one’s

status or power within his or her social status or power within his or her social hierarchyhierarchy

Men seen as the gallant warrior: do you Men seen as the gallant warrior: do you think it is sexy? Jordon, why do you think think it is sexy? Jordon, why do you think women think its sexy?women think its sexy?

Context specific (Context specific (Sex and the CitySex and the City clip) clip)


Deter Rivals from Future Aggression:Deter Rivals from Future Aggression:

As other evolutionary hypothesis have As other evolutionary hypothesis have already suggested, if you are tough, you already suggested, if you are tough, you will probably get left alonewill probably get left alone


Deter Long-Term Mates from Sexual Deter Long-Term Mates from Sexual Infidelity:Infidelity:

Male sexual jealousyMale sexual jealousy

Can women be effective at this? (Lorriane Can women be effective at this? (Lorriane Bobbit)Bobbit)


The Context-Specificity of Aggression:The Context-Specificity of Aggression:For the most part, people don’t get violent For the most part, people don’t get violent

and aggressive at any old placeand aggressive at any old placeMales’ sexual jealousy and danger of Males’ sexual jealousy and danger of

violence is higher when the man feels violence is higher when the man feels threat that woman could cheatthreat that woman could cheat

Costs: Beth and Tina from MTV. Costs: Beth and Tina from MTV. Threat of retaliationThreat of retaliationReputation consequencesReputation consequences


Food for thought:Food for thought:The book says that if the relevant contexts The book says that if the relevant contexts

that induce aggression are not that induce aggression are not encountered, then someone might not encountered, then someone might not ever be aggressive (it would remain ever be aggressive (it would remain dormant). dormant).

Stan TribbleStan TribbleWhat do you think?What do you think?

Why are Men More Violently Why are Men More Violently Aggressive than Women?Aggressive than Women?

Theory of parental investment and sexual Theory of parental investment and sexual selectionselection

Males can only have access to females Males can only have access to females when females allow access when females allow access

Dimorphism leads to more reproductive Dimorphism leads to more reproductive variance between the sexesvariance between the sexes

Some males get more than their “fair Some males get more than their “fair share” and some get left out completelyshare” and some get left out completely

This leads to competition and aggressionThis leads to competition and aggression


Although unconscious, men want to increase Although unconscious, men want to increase their reproductive successtheir reproductive success

““Males are more often the perpetrators of Males are more often the perpetrators of violence because they are the products of a long violence because they are the products of a long history of mild but sustained effective polygyny history of mild but sustained effective polygyny characterized by risky strategies of intrasexual characterized by risky strategies of intrasexual competition for access to the high investing sex” competition for access to the high investing sex” (Buss, 2004, p.287)(Buss, 2004, p.287)

Men victims more Men victims more

Empirical Evidence for Distinct Empirical Evidence for Distinct Adaptive Patterns of AggressionAdaptive Patterns of Aggression

Janet Hyde’s (1986) meta-analysisJanet Hyde’s (1986) meta-analysisDaly and Wilson (1988) Same sex Daly and Wilson (1988) Same sex

homicides. Are women getting more homicides. Are women getting more violent? (violent? (Thelma and LouiseThelma and Louise))

Same-Sex Bullying in Schools (Ahmad & Same-Sex Bullying in Schools (Ahmad & Smith, 1994 as cited in Buss, 2004). Smith, 1994 as cited in Buss, 2004). Differences in bullying (Differences in bullying (Mean GirlsMean Girls 3) 3)


The Young Male Syndrome:The Young Male Syndrome:Engage in risky behavior at peak of Engage in risky behavior at peak of

physical prowess, disease lowest, etcphysical prowess, disease lowest, etcDangerous but also builds reputationDangerous but also builds reputationOther possible explanations for young Other possible explanations for young

males being “best predictors of violent males being “best predictors of violent aggression”?aggression”?

Contexts Triggering Men’s Contexts Triggering Men’s Aggression against MenAggression against Men

Marital and Employment Status Marital and Employment Status (Sociological vs Evolutionary?)(Sociological vs Evolutionary?)

Status and Reputation: why can’t we back Status and Reputation: why can’t we back down?down?

Mate guardingMate guardingWarfare-coalitions of males aggressing Warfare-coalitions of males aggressing

other males. Never women (Uncle Erick)other males. Never women (Uncle Erick)

Contexts Triggering Women’s Contexts Triggering Women’s Aggression Against WomenAggression Against Women

Less frequent, less violent, and less showyLess frequent, less violent, and less showyDefinitions: strictest sense, they are Definitions: strictest sense, they are

aggressive. aggressive. Content is quite different, howeverContent is quite different, howeverMean GirlsMean Girls 4 4 Can they be aggressive for any other Can they be aggressive for any other

reason? reason?

Contexts Triggering Men’s Contexts Triggering Men’s Aggression against WomenAggression against Women

Much of non-sexual aggression is directed Much of non-sexual aggression is directed at spouses, mates, or girlfriends, and at spouses, mates, or girlfriends, and sexual jealousy seems to be cause (how sexual jealousy seems to be cause (how non-sexual is this?)non-sexual is this?)

Young women killed more (reproductive Young women killed more (reproductive value)value)

What about defenseless/powerless men?What about defenseless/powerless men?

Contexts Triggering Women’s Contexts Triggering Women’s Aggression against MenAggression against Men

Domestic violence men and women have Domestic violence men and women have similar ratessimilar rates

Woman defending herself (Woman defending herself (EnoughEnough))Book does not offer anything more… can Book does not offer anything more… can

women be aggressive towards men for women be aggressive towards men for other reasons?other reasons?

What about nice guys?What about nice guys?What about rage-aholics? (Angry Man)What about rage-aholics? (Angry Man)

Concluding RemarksConcluding Remarks

Aggression is evident in both males and Aggression is evident in both males and females, in various forms and emerges in females, in various forms and emerges in various contextsvarious contexts

For Thursday, we will apply these thoughts For Thursday, we will apply these thoughts to our discussion of warfareto our discussion of warfare

Please come prepared to talk away!Please come prepared to talk away!

WarfareWarfare

Today we will start by going over some Today we will start by going over some introductory information on warfareintroductory information on warfare

Quick recap of TuesdayQuick recap of TuesdayLets begin Lets begin (Video Clip of Iraq War)(Video Clip of Iraq War)

WarfareWarfare

The idea mentioned Tuesday- war to The idea mentioned Tuesday- war to coopt resources. What do you think?coopt resources. What do you think?

WarfareWarfare

It’s a man thing (Facebook profile)It’s a man thing (Facebook profile)EP benefit? More copulationsEP benefit? More copulationsYanmamo Warfare (Box 10.1) made me Yanmamo Warfare (Box 10.1) made me

think about men and meatthink about men and meat

The Evolutionary Psychology of The Evolutionary Psychology of WarWar

Tooby and Cosmides (1988) addressed the Tooby and Cosmides (1988) addressed the frequently overlooked aspect of cooperationfrequently overlooked aspect of cooperation

War is costly, so what gets men to do it (and War is costly, so what gets men to do it (and now women)now women)

1. Avg long term resources must be large 1. Avg long term resources must be large enough to outweigh the reproductive costs of enough to outweigh the reproductive costs of engaging in warfare over evolutionary time engaging in warfare over evolutionary time (copulations)(copulations)

So if we didn’t have sex, or babies, would we still So if we didn’t have sex, or babies, would we still have war?have war?


2. Members of coalitions must believe that 2. Members of coalitions must believe that their group will emerge victorioustheir group will emerge victorious

So why do those who know they are going So why do those who know they are going to lose still participate? (to lose still participate? (The Last SamuraiThe Last Samurai))

3. The risks each member takes must 3. The risks each member takes must translate into benefitstranslate into benefits

Fanfare and return of soldiers Fanfare and return of soldiers


4. Men who go into battle must be ignorant 4. Men who go into battle must be ignorant of who will live or dieof who will live or die

Stress, anxiety, PTSD (Stress, anxiety, PTSD (CNNCNN Sniper Video) Sniper Video)

WarfareWarfare

Men engage in warMen engage in warMen assess their fighting abilityMen assess their fighting abilityMen have adaptations designed for war Men have adaptations designed for war

(upper body strength, navigational (upper body strength, navigational abilities, coalitions with men to diminish abilities, coalitions with men to diminish the risk of women “interfering”?the risk of women “interfering”?

Sexual accessSexual access

WarfareWarfare

Women in warWomen in war Is it all sex?Is it all sex?Mind bogglingMind bogglingOptional discussion: evolved psych Optional discussion: evolved psych

mechanism to kill? mechanism to kill?

ConclusionConclusion

Aggression and warfare go hand in handAggression and warfare go hand in handThe books suggests its all about sex and The books suggests its all about sex and

mating, which naturally coincides with EPmating, which naturally coincides with EPAny other remarks/comments? Any other remarks/comments? Thank you!Thank you!

ReferencesReferences All videos can be found through YoutubeAll videos can be found through Youtubehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOWRyi-bRIchttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOWRyi-bRIc (Iraq war) (Iraq war)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miuy9YXNqPMhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miuy9YXNqPM ( (The Last SamuraiThe Last Samurai))http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zzfbPdPnEghttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zzfbPdPnEg (CNN Sniper Video) (CNN Sniper Video)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAuMVmnU9cIhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAuMVmnU9cI ( (Saving Private RyanSaving Private Ryan))You can find the other videos (You can find the other videos (Thelma and LouiseThelma and Louise, , Mean GirlsMean Girls, Beth and Tina , Beth and Tina

from the from the Real World/Road RulesReal World/Road Rules, and , and EnoughEnough) by going to Youtube and ) by going to Youtube and searching for themsearching for them

The site below is for Randy Schutt and gives some Non-Violent Alternatives to The site below is for Randy Schutt and gives some Non-Violent Alternatives to War: War:

http://www.vernalproject.org/Papers2/NonviolentAlternatives.htmlhttp://www.vernalproject.org/Papers2/NonviolentAlternatives.html The site below is from the National Center for PTSD:The site below is from the National Center for PTSD:http://www.ncptsd.va.gov/http://www.ncptsd.va.gov/

Please let me know if you would like any other info!! Please let me know if you would like any other info!!

Chapter 10 Aggression and Warfare Lecia E. Wright Creighton University November 07 and 09, 2006.

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