Psychology: The Evolution Of Human Aggression In Psychology

Aggression in psychology refers to the range of behaviours that can result in harm to one’s self, others or objects. Aggression can be expressed physically, mentally, verbally and emotionally, and can be performed for various reasons such as to express anger, to compete with others, or can be a reaction to pain. Research has shown that those who engage in aggressive behaviour define their behaviour as unplanned, although aggression may also be predatory, where it is planned and controlled.

Human and animal aggression differ in ways where in human aggression, aggression may occur due to jealousy and infidelity, can be hormonal or due to genetic factors and can be influenced socially as well as through group displays, whereas animal aggression occurs for the selection of the strongest and the fittest, for the survival of their young (for protection), and for the balanced distribution of animals.

The evolution of human aggression can be said as a reproductive response from our ancestors. It includes jealousy, infidelity, as well as group displays of aggressive behaviour. According to Daly and Wilson (1988), male sexual jealousy and paternal uncertainty leads to vigilance to violence as strategies to avoid their partners from committing adultery. Sexual jealousy is the most common reason for aggression in a relationship. Male sexual jealousy

Therefore, the explanations cannot be scientific. There may also be cultural differences amongst people, multiple factors, which can influence aggression. Also, psychologists argue that the explanations of evolutionary aggression justify violence against women as natural and inevitable, which is unfair to assume in the modern world because it states that males are victims of their own evolution. Alongside the criticisms, there is lots of research support for the explanations of evolutionary