Deck 2: Biocultural Foundations

Question 1

Symbolic communication is an essential component of which social process of cultural inheritance?

A) social enhancement
B) imitation
C) explicit instruction
D) social facilitation

Answer 1

C

Question 2

The traditional ways that children in a culture celebrate their birthdays are an example of the use of:

A) a material tool.
B) a symbolic tool.
C) imitation.
D) explicit instruction.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Which of the following is an example of a material tool?

A) language
B) religion
C) bedtime routines
D) gender roles

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Brenda is learning geometry. In a sense she is acquiring a(n):

A) material tool.
B) symbolic tool.
C) cultural tool.
D) mediator.

Question 5

Which of the following BEST describes the motivation for studying biocultural foundations of development?

A) to gain an increased understanding of universal pathways of development
B) to gain an increased understanding of variations in developmental pathways
C) to gain an increased understanding of the origins and significance of both commonalities and differences in developmental pathways
D) to determine the exact contribution of biology and culture to development

Question 6

A ____________ tool is easy to observe because it exists "out there" in the world.

A) material
B) symbolic
C) cultural
D) mediator

Question 7

A tool that is related to an abstract aspect of a culture's knowledge, beliefs, and values is known as a:

A) material tool.
B) symbolic tool.
C) cultural tool.
D) mediator.

Question 8

Brad's parents allow him to watch cartoons while he eats breakfast in the morning. His mealtime experience is ____________ by his television viewing.

A) evaluated
B) enhanced
C) mediated
D) canalized

Question 9

Four-year-old Juan is eating spaghetti with his fingers. His father explains to him that eating with his hands is not acceptable and shows him how to twirl the pasta around his fork. This interaction is an example of how culture is transmitted via:

A) social enhancement.
B) imitation.
C) explicit instruction.
D) social facilitation.

Question 10

Compared to other species, humans use:

A) a more limited set of material tools, but a larger set of symbolic tools.
B) a more limited set of symbolic tools, but a larger set of material tools.
C) more material and symbolic tools.
D) fewer material and symbolic tools.

Question 11

Japanese researchers who attempted to lure macaque monkeys out into the open by scattering sweet potatoes on the beach observed ____________.

A) entirely new patterns in the daily lives of the monkeys
B) very little change in the daily lives of the monkeys
C) new behaviors on the part of the adult male monkeys, but no change in the behaviors of the adult females or babies
D) new forms of food preparation, but few other changes in the monkey's activities

Question 12

Which of the following is an example of symbolic communication?

A) Samantha writes her best friend a note to explain her feelings.
B) Mr. Smith plays piano for her fifth-grade class.
C) Stan spends 2 hours a day playing video games.
D) David washes the dishes before going to bed at night.

Question 13

The mechanism by which cultural tools organize people's activities is known as:

A) enhancement.
B) mediation.
C) moderation.
D) facilitation.

Question 14

Which of the following is a form of learning that does NOT require another person to be physically present?

A) social enhancement
B) imitation
C) explicit instruction
D) mitosis

Question 15

Culture is ____________.

A) passed on through biological processes
B) composed of material and symbolic tools
C) limited to humans
D) stable over time

Question 16

Ami observes her mother applying lipstick; she then takes a crayon and moves it across her own lips. This behavior is an example of:

A) social enhancement.
B) imitation.
C) explicit instruction.
D) social facilitation.

Question 17

Religion can be viewed as a:

A) material tool.
B) symbolic tool.
C) parental tool.
D) mediator.

Question 18

What is the main focus of study for developmental scientists interested in the "biocultural foundations" of development?

A) to investigate how genetic heritage influences development
B) to investigate how culture influences development
C) to investigate how biology and culture interact to shape development
D) to investigate the unique contributions that biological and cultural factors make to development

Question 19

The similarities and differences between people ultimately are caused by:

A) their biology.
B) their behaviors.
C) their culture.
D) the interaction between cultural and genetic influences.

Question 20

Culture is transmitted and transformed via "social enhancement" when:

A) children observe and copy the behaviors of others.
B) children are directly taught how to use cultural tools.
C) children spontaneously use the cultural tools available to them in their environment.
D) children are aided in their activities by others who have more knowledge and skill.

Question 21

"Janet is a reserved child with long brown hair." This statement refers to Janet's

A) genotype.
B) genome.
C) phenotype.
D) biological inheritance.

Question 22

How can a developmental scientist BEST gain knowledge about an individual's genotype?

A) by studying the individual's appearance
B) by observing the individual's behavior
C) by studying the individual's genetic material
D) by interviewing the individual's family members

Question 23

Each person inherits a unique combination of genetic traits through:

A) mitosis.
B) osmosis.
C) genetic imitation.
D) sexual reproduction.

Question 24

Who proposed the idea of natural selection?

A) Jennifer Hoskovec
B) Charles Darwin
C) Manel Estreller
D) Conrad Waddington

Question 25

Genes guide formation of which of the following types of traits?

A) physical
B) behavioral
C) physical and psychological
D) physical, behavioral, and psychological

Question 26

The knowledge of a generation is passed on to the next through:

A) cumulative cultural evolution.
B) genetic inheritance.
C) biological evolution.
D) changes in brain structure.

Question 27

A person's phenotype is ____________ while his/her genotype is ____________.

A) constant over his/her life; developed through interactions with the environment
B) observable; inherited
C) developed through interactions with the environment; constant over his/her life
D) recessive; dominant

Question 28

The basic units of heredity are:

A) somatic cells.
B) zygotes.
C) mitosis.
D) genes.

Question 29

Somatic cells are:

A) sperm cells.
B) ova cells.
C) body cells.
D) brain cells.

Question 30

Cumulative cultural evolution occurs when:

A) a mutated gene is passed from one generation to the next.
B) an acquired biological adaptation is passed from one generation to another.
C) one generation modifies the information passed on from previous generations.
D) each generation learns something for itself, not from the previous generation.

Question 31

Carlson and her colleagues helped children gain success in selecting between two unequal portions of candy by:

A) concealing the candy and providing children with symbols to help guide their decision making.
B) telling them which option to select.
C) allowing them to see the two portions of candy as they made their decision.
D) placing the option with more candy closer to the children.

Question 32

The complex molecules on which genes are located are called:

A) oocytes.
B) sperm cells.
C) chromosomes.
D) deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA).

Question 33

Which of the following communities is MOST likely to produce innovations in thinking and technology?

A) a small but isolated group
B) a large but isolated group
C) a small group that is connected to many other groups
D) a large group that is connected to many other groups

Question 34

Cultures:

A) remain stable over time.
B) transform as individuals modify their uses of cultural tools.
C) always evolve in advantageous ways.
D) undergo change on a predictable timeline.

Question 35

The particular gene forms that individuals inherit are called:

A) genotypes.
B) recessive traits.
C) phenotypes.
D) monozygotic traits.

Question 36

The transmission of biological characteristics from one generation to the next is called:

A) cultural evolution.
B) heredity.
C) natural selection.
D) meiosis.

Question 37

The single cell that is the foundation for all of the cells that a child will have at birth is called a:

A) blastocyst.
B) DNA.
C) gene.
D) zygote.

Question 38

The observable characteristics that individuals inherit are called:

A) genotypes.
B) recessive traits.
C) phenotypes.
D) monozygotic traits.

Question 39

The process of natural selection explains that individuals with genotypes that are:

A) not adaptive to their environment have a survival advantage.
B) adaptive to their environment have a survival advantage.
C) not adaptive to their environment are less likely to survive.
D) not adaptive to their environment are less likely to reproduce.

Question 40

The specialized structures that contain the blueprints for biological development are called:

A) genes.
B) germs.
C) zygotes.
D) chromosomes.

Question 41

Monozygotic twins:

A) can be same-sex or opposite-sex.
B) develop from a single fertilized ovum.
C) are often joined at one area of the body.
D) are genetically no more alike than any siblings.

Question 42

When an ovum is fertilized, both the mother's and the father's genetic material are contained in the:

A) ova.
B) genes.
C) zygote.
D) sperm cells.

Question 43

Sperm cells and ova each contain:

A) 23 chromosomes.
B) 26 chromosomes.
C) 23 pairs of chromosomes.
D) 46 pairs chromosomes.

Question 44

A threadlike structure made up of genes is referred to as:

A) chromosome.
B) zygote.
C) mitosis.
D) meiosis.

Question 45

A person who is genetically male has received a(n):

A) Y chromosome from his mother and a Y chromosome from his father.
B) Y chromosome from his mother and an X chromosome from his father.
C) X chromosome from his mother and a Y chromosome from his father.
D) X chromosome from his mother and an X chromosome from his father.

Question 46

Dizygotic twins:

A) are also called "identical" twins.
B) develop from the same fertilized egg.
C) are as genetically similar as other siblings.
D) are genetically more similar than other siblings.

Question 47

Germ cells reproduce by ____________, whereas somatic cells reproduce by ____________.

A) meiosis; mitosis
B) mitosis; meiosis
C) mitosis; mitosis
D) meiosis; meiosis

Question 48

"Identical" twins are also called:

A) dizygotic twins.
B) fraternal twins.
C) monozygotic twins.
D) heterozygous twins.

Question 49

The process by which the zygote creates new somatic cells is called:

A) mitosis.
B) meiosis.
C) twinning.
D) heredity.

Question 50

A person who is genetically female has received a(n):

A) Y chromosome from her mother and an X chromosome from her father.
B) X chromosome from her mother and an X chromosome from her father.
C) X chromosome from her mother and no sex chromosome from her father.
D) no sex chromosome from her mother and an X chromosome from her father.

Question 51

There are 46 chromosomes in every cell except:

A) sperm.
B) ova.
C) both sperm and ova.
D) neither sperm nor ova.

Question 52

The sex of an individual is controlled by:

A) all of the chromosomes.
B) all of the father's chromosomes.
C) a single chromosome.
D) a single gene.

Question 53

According to the laws of probability, there are ____________ possible genetic combinations for each sperm and ovum.

A) 2²³
B) 2³²
C) 10²³
D) 23¹⁰

Question 54

Under the ordinary conditions of life, the genetic material carried by our chromosomes is:

A) determinative of our behavior.
B) not altered by our experiences or the passage of time.
C) altered by environmental influences such as our culture.
D) faithfully copied throughout the course of a lifetime through the process of meiosis.

Question 55

Meiosis is the:

A) process by which the body's cells duplicate themselves.
B) type of cell division that results in two genetically identical individuals.
C) process of division that results in cells with half the usual number of chromosomes.
D) process of division resulting in cells with twice the normal number of chromosomes.

Question 56

Which of the following genotypes represents the genetic sex of females?

A) XY
B) XO
C) XX
D) YY

Question 57

The chances of any given individual being conceived can be described as a "genetic lottery." The first step in the genetic lottery is:

A) mitosis.
B) meiosis.
C) the formation of zygote.
D) the morula takes shape.

Question 58

Mitosis is the process by which:

A) an ovum is fertilized.
B) body cells are formed.
C) genetic mutations occur.
D) sperm cells and ova are formed.

Question 59

Which of the following represents the genetic sex of males?

A) XY
B) XO
C) XX
D) YY

Question 60

The process of meiosis produces:

A) the zygote.
B) germ cells.
C) conception.
D) somatic cells.

Question 61

Type AB blood is an example of:

A) codominance.
B) a recessive trait.
C) a homozygous genotype.
D) the influence of the environment on development.

Question 62

Individuals who are heterozygous for a trait with a dominant and recessive allele and thus express only the characteristics associated with the dominant allele but may pass the recessive allele on to their offspring are said to be:

A) carriers.
B) codominant.
C) homozygous.
D) recessive.

Question 63

When a child inherits different alleles for skin color from each parent:

A) the darker skin tone will be dominant.
B) the lighter skin tone will be dominant.
C) the result will often be a skin tone intermediate to that of the parents.
D) a blotchy skin color-a combination of the skin colors of both parents-will result.

Question 64

If Carlise has inherited the same allelic form from both of her parents, she is ____________ for a trait.

A) ontogenetic
B) homozygous
C) monozygotic
D) heterozygous

Question 65

When two different alleles both express themselves in a heterozygous individual in a way that is different from the expression of either allele alone, these alleles are said to be:

A) recessive.
B) dominant.
C) polygenic.
D) codominant.

Question 66

A dominant allele:

A) expresses itself in heterozygous individuals.
B) is never expressed in heterozygous individuals.
C) is the result of the interaction among several recessive alleles.
D) has a phenotypic expression not affected by the environment.

Question 67

Most known human mutations:

A) benefit the organisms in which they occur.
B) are lethal to the organisms in which they occur.
C) repair themselves before a fetus is born.
D) have little impact on development.

Question 68

A particular form of a gene coded for a particular trait is called a(n):

A) allele.
B) chromosome.
C) zygote.
D) heterozygote.

Question 69

The total variety of genetic information possessed by a sexually reproducing population is referred to as the:

A) genetic lottery.
B) epigenesis.
C) genotype.
D) gene pool.

Question 70

What are specialized cells for sexual reproduction and have half the number of chromosomes normal for a species?

A) somatic cells
B) zygotes
C) germ cells
D) alleles

Question 71

An error in the process of gene replication that results in a change in the molecular structure of the DNA is called:

A) a mutation.
B) mitosis.
C) meiosis.
D) canalization.

Question 72

Brenda is heterozygous for a trait associated with a single allele. Which of the following outcomes is NOT possible?

A) She will display a characteristic associated with the dominant allele.
B) She will display a characteristic associated with the recessive allele.
C) She will display a characteristic that is associated with full expression of each of the two alleles.
D) She will display a characteristic that is intermediate between the traits called for by the two alleles.

Question 73

A recessive allele:

A) expresses itself in heterozygous individuals.
B) is never expressed in heterozygous individuals.
C) is the result of the interaction among several recessive alleles.
D) has a phenotypic expression that is not affected by the environment.

Question 74

A person is heterozygous for a trait if she has:

A) not inherited the trait from either parent.
B) developed the trait because of environmental factors.
C) inherited the same allelic form from both parents.
D) inherited a different allelic form from each parent.

Question 75

The allele that is not expressed when an individual possesses two different alleles for the same trait is called a:

A) dominant allele.
B) recessive allele.
C) carrier.
D) codominance.

Question 76

Most traits, especially behavioral traits involve:

A) polygenic inheritance.
B) recessive alleles.
C) homozygous inheritance.
D) heterozygous inheritance.

Question 77

An error in gene replication that results in a change in the structure of genetic material is called:

A) meiosis.
B) a mutation.
C) a phenotype.
D) a sex-linked disorder.

Question 78

Genetic mutations are:

A) a relatively recent phenomenon related to increasing levels of environmental pollutants.
B) always lethal to humans.
C) a fundamental and natural part of human existence since life on Earth began.
D) always of benefit to the individual.

Question 79

The sperm and ova are both:

A) somatic cells.
B) zygotes.
C) germ cells.
D) alleles.

Question 80

MOST genetic or chromosomal abnormalities present at conception:

A) are corrected by the time of birth.
B) lead to early miscarriages.
C) do not express themselves until late in life.
D) cause the offspring to have severe birth defects.