According to Lea et al, why might aggressive males have higher survival and reproductive success?

According to Lea et al, why might aggressive males have higher survival and reproductive success?

• A. They may be better hunters, protect the family, or have higher social status making them more attractive to females
• B. They are more prone to illness and weaker in fights
• C. Aggression always reduces mating success
• D. Aggressive males do not reproduce more than others

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that aggression can be an adaptive strategy that increases a male’s access to resources and mates. If a male is aggressive, he can be more effective at securing food, defending a territory or group, and climbing the social hierarchy. This higher status and greater resource control can make him more attractive to females and give him more opportunities to mate, raising both survival chances and reproductive success. The other statements don't fit with this view: aggression isn’t inherently linked to illness or weakness, it doesn’t always reduce mating success, and aggressive males can reproduce more depending on context, not universally.

The key idea is that aggression can be an adaptive strategy that increases a male’s access to resources and mates. If a male is aggressive, he can be more effective at securing food, defending a territory or group, and climbing the social hierarchy. This higher status and greater resource control can make him more attractive to females and give him more opportunities to mate, raising both survival chances and reproductive success. The other statements don't fit with this view: aggression isn’t inherently linked to illness or weakness, it doesn’t always reduce mating success, and aggressive males can reproduce more depending on context, not universally.