Which theorist would most likely say that aggression is an inborn tendency?

Which theorist would most likely say that aggression is an inborn tendency?

• A. Konrad Lorenz
• B. Erik Erikson
• C. B. F. Skinner
• D. Jean Piaget

Answer: (A)

Aggression as an inborn tendency reflects instinct theory in ethology. Konrad Lorenz argued that aggression is an innate drive, an instinct wired into our biology to help with survival—defending territory, resources, and mates. These impulses can surface without being learned, triggered by certain environmental cues, and they exist across species. Erik Erikson’s focus is psychosocial development, not innate aggression. B. F. Skinner emphasizes learning through reinforcement and punishment, shaping behavior rather than declaring it instinctual. Jean Piaget studies how thinking develops, not aggression as an inherited tendency. So, Konrad Lorenz is the best fit for the idea that aggression is inborn.

Aggression as an inborn tendency reflects instinct theory in ethology. Konrad Lorenz argued that aggression is an innate drive, an instinct wired into our biology to help with survival—defending territory, resources, and mates. These impulses can surface without being learned, triggered by certain environmental cues, and they exist across species. Erik Erikson’s focus is psychosocial development, not innate aggression. B. F. Skinner emphasizes learning through reinforcement and punishment, shaping behavior rather than declaring it instinctual. Jean Piaget studies how thinking develops, not aggression as an inherited tendency. So, Konrad Lorenz is the best fit for the idea that aggression is inborn.