THE ETHOLOGICAL APPROACH

The ethological approach to aggression emphasises the role of evolution and biology in shaping aggressive behaviour. Rooted in animal studies by researchers like Konrad Lorenz and Niko Tinbergen, this perspective argues that aggression is innate, adaptive, and universal, serving functions such as defending territory, establishing dominance, and protecting resources. Ethologists propose that aggression is triggered by specific environmental sign stimuli, which activate an Innate Releasing Mechanism (IRM)—a neural process that leads to a Fixed Action Pattern (FAP), a predictable and automatic sequence of aggressive behaviours. This approach highlights the survival benefits of aggression but is criticized for its limited application to human aggression, which is heavily influenced by learning, culture, and individual experiences