Behavioral and Brain Sciences
- Behavioral and Brain Sciences / Volume 32 / Issue 3-4 / August 2009, pp 271-272
- Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2009
- DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X09990343 (About DOI), Published online: 20 August 2009
Open Peer Commentary
The multiple adaptive problems solved by human aggression
David M. Bussa1
a1 Department of Psychology, A8000, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712. dbuss@psy.utexas.edu www.davidbuss.com
Abstract
Human psychology contains adaptations to deploy aggression as one solution to many distinct adaptive problems. These include expropriating resources, defending against incursions, establishing encroachment-deterring reputations, inflicting costs on rivals, ascending dominance hierarchies, dissuading partner defection, eliminating fitness-draining offspring, and obtaining new mates. Aggression is not a singular strategy. Comprehensive theories must identify the “design features” of multiple adaptations for aggression.
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