Deck 3: Genes, Evolution, and Environment

Question 1

________ are the functional units of heredity that code for the structure of proteins.

A) Genes
B) Genomes
C) Chromosomes
D) Genetic markers

Answer 1

Genes

Question 2

________ are rod-shaped paired structures made of DNA that are located in the nucleus of the cell.

A) Genes
B) Genomes
C) Chromosomes
D) Genetic markers

Answer 2

Chromosomes

Question 3

Which of the following is NOT an argument used by critics of evolutionary explanations of courtship and mating behaviours?

A) Sexual attitudes and practice vary considerably within a culture.
B) On questionnaires, both sexes rate kindness, understanding, and intelligence above physical qualities and financial status.
C) Similarity and proximity are the strongest predictors of mate selection.
D) People's responses on questionnaires correspond with their actual behaviour.

Answer 3

People's responses on questionnaires correspond with their actual behaviour.

Question 4

Estimates of the heritability of intelligence:

A) increase with age.
B) decrease with age.
C) do not change with age.
D) explain differences between groups.

Question 5

________ attempts to tease apart the relative contributions of heredity and environment.

A) Nativism
B) Empiricism
C) Evolutionary psychology
D) Behavioural genetics

Question 6

Sociobiologists predict that, compared to males, females are more likely to:

A) be polygamous.
B) be monogamous.
C) chose a young, attractive mate.
D) be promiscuous.

Question 7

________ is the founder of the field of sociobiology.

A) Charles Darwin
B) Edward O. Wilson
C) John B. Watson
D) Noam Chomsky

Question 8

Which of the following is NOT a reason that the frequency of genes in a population may change over many generations?

A) mutation
B) crossover of genetic material
C) copying errors
D) addition of new amino acids

Question 9

Which of the following does NOT support the existence of an innate language-acquisition device?

A) Children in different cultures go through similar stages of linguistic development.
B) Children not exposed to adult language do not develop language skills.
C) Adults do not consistently correct their children's syntax.
D) Children combine words in ways that adults never would.

Question 10

Which of the following statements on heritability is true?

A) Heritability is a measure of the genetic contribution to a particular trait for an individual.
B) The best way to estimate heritability is to study blood relatives who share a particular trait.
C) An estimate of heritability will apply regardless of environment.
D) Heritability can help explain differences within groups.

Question 11

________ emphasizes the evolutionary mechanisms that might help explain similarities in behaviour.

A) Nativism
B) Empiricism
C) Evolutionary psychology
D) Behavioural genetics

Question 12

Which of the following is NOT an innate human characteristic?

A) the ability to walk on two legs
B) a sucking reflex
C) basic computational skills
D) an interest in novelty

Question 13

Which of the following is true about nativism?

A) It emphasizes the role of experience.
B) It emphasizes the role of our genetic nature.
C) It was espoused by John B. Watson.
D) It is the prominent position in psychology today.

Question 14

Sociobiologists predict that, compared to females, males are more likely to:

A) be monogamous.
B) be promiscuous.
C) choose a partner who is stable and secure.
D) be discriminating in their choice of a mate.

Question 15

________ is an estimate of the proportion of the total variance in a trait that is attributed to genetics.

A) Heritability
B) Nativism
C) Evolutionary psychology
D) The nature effect

Question 16

Epigenetics refers to:

A) publication of Darwin's book On the Origin of Species.
B) the forced sterilization of low IQ people.
C) the study of changes in gene expression due to mechanisms other than structural changes in DNA.
D) the study of changes in gene expression due to structural changes in DNA.

Question 17

Which of the following is true about empiricism?

A) It emphasizes the role of experience.
B) It emphasizes the role of our genetic nature.
C) It was espoused by Edward L. Thorndike.
D) It is the prominent position in psychology today.

Question 18

Which of the following is an advantage of genetic testing?

A) Genetic information could be used to discriminate against an individual.
B) Knowing a genetic risk could result in a self-fulfilling prophecy.
C) Genes can absolve a person of responsibility.
D) Knowing that a child's disorder is genetic can keep a parent from experiencing unnecessary guilt.

Question 19

Which of the following is NOT associated with reduced mental ability?

A) poor prenatal care
B) malnutrition
C) stressful family circumstances
D) having a mentally ill sibling

Question 20

Evolutionary psychologists view the mind as a/an:

A) general-purpose computer.
B) collection of specialized mental modules.
C) inherited language-acquisition device.
D) result of our environment and experience.

Question 21

The human genome is estimated to contain about ________ genes.

A) 7000
B) 25 000
C) 70 000
D) 300 000

Question 22

John B. Watson would agree that:

A) experience could write virtually any message on the blank slate of human nature.
B) an impulse for young mammals to play and fool around may be biologically adaptive.
C) just as a bird is designed to fly, human beings are designed to use language.
D) men are genetically wired to be promiscuous and women to be monogamous.

Question 23

________, the basic units of heredity, are located on ________, rod-shaped structures found in the nucleus of every cell of the body.

A) Genomes; genes
B) Chromosomes; genomes
C) Genes; chromosomes
D) Chromosomes; genes

Question 24

For many years, psychologists addressing questions about human differences tended to fall into two camps. Those who emphasized the role of genes in human diversity were called:

A) empiricists.
B) behaviourists.
C) nativists.
D) psychoanalysts.

Question 25

The belief that the twenty-first century will be the "century of the gene" reflects:

A) the success of the Human Genome Project.
B) that we can now determine the role of a gene in physical or psychological functioning once it has been located.
C) the discovery of special genes linked to specific behaviours, such as worrying.
D) the knowledge that genes and heredity are more important than environmental factors.

Question 26

Within every cell are rod-shared structures called ________ that carry the genes.

A) DNA
B) genetic markers
C) genomes
D) chromosomes

Question 27

Which of the following best describes the position of most psychologists today on the nature-nurture issue?

A) Nature and nurture interact to produce both our psychological and our physical traits.
B) Nature is more important in producing our physical traits, while nurture is more important in producing our psychological traits.
C) Nature produces our physical traits, while our psychological traits are produced by an interaction of nature and nurture.
D) Some of our psychological traits are produced primarily by nature and some primarily by nurture, but nature is most important in producing our physical traits.

Question 28

Behavioural genetics is an interdisciplinary field of study concerned with:

A) genetic bases of individual differences in behaviour and personality.
B) processes by which individuals with genetically influenced traits adapt in a particular environment.
C) estimating the heritability of various physiological and psychological traits within a group.
D) evolutionary explanations of social behaviour in humans and other animals.

Question 29

The basic unit of heredity is the:

A) chromosome.
B) gene.
C) protein molecule.
D) genome.

Question 30

Each human chromosome has:

A) 23 pairs of genes.
B) 23 genes.
C) about 100 genes.
D) thousands of genes.

Question 31

The chromosomal molecule, ________, transfers genetic characteristics by way of coded instructions for the structure of proteins.

A) DNA
B) genetic marker
C) genome
D) genetic landmark

Question 32

Researchers in ________ emphasize the evolutionary mechanisms that might help explain commonalities in areas of human psychology.

A) cognitive psychology
B) evolutionary psychology
C) social Darwinism
D) sociocultural psychology

Question 33

For many years, psychologists addressing questions about human differences tended to fall into two camps. Those who emphasized the role of learning and experience in human diversity were called:

A) empiricists.
B) evolutionary psychologists.
C) nativists.
D) psychoanalysts.

Question 34

________, the basic units of heredity, are located on chromosomes, rod-shaped structures found in the nucleus of every cell of the body.

A) Genomes
B) Neural networks
C) Genes
D) Genetic markers

Question 35

With regard to the interaction between genes and experience:

A) genes can affect the experiences we have, but experience cannot affect genes.
B) experience can affect genes, but genes cannot affect experience.
C) both genes and experience can affect each other.
D) the effects of genes and experience are independent.

Question 36

Prof. Sandoval emphasizes the evolutionary mechanisms that might help explain commonalities in human behaviour. She is most likely to consider herself a/an:

A) cognitive psychologist.
B) evolutionary psychologist.
C) social Darwinist.
D) sociocultural psychologist.

Question 37

The four basic chemical elements of DNA are identified by the letters:

A) A, B, C, D.
B) A, T, C, G.
C) B, D, G, T.
D) W, X, Y, Z.

Question 38

The functional units of heredity that are composed of DNA and specify the structure of proteins are called:

A) genomes.
B) neural networks.
C) genes.
D) genetic markers.

Question 39

________ is an interdisciplinary field of study concerned with the genetic bases of individual differences in behaviour and personality.

A) Behavioural genetics
B) Social Darwinism
C) Behaviourism
D) Functionalism

Question 40

Edward L. Thorndike, one of the leading psychologists of the early 1900s, claimed that in the actual race of life the chief determining factor is:

A) operant conditioning.
B) classical conditioning.
C) parent-child relationships.
D) heredity.

Question 41

The A, T, C, and G molecules in DNA code for the synthesis of:

A) genes.
B) amino acids.
C) RNA.
D) proteins.

Question 42

An evolutionary psychologist would agree that:

A) the human mind developed as a collection of modules to handle specific survival problems.
B) the human mind is like a general-purpose computer waiting to be programmed.
C) if a trait exists, then it must have been adaptive to human survival.
D) virtually every human tendency, from cleanliness to cruelty, is innate.

Question 43

Evolutionary psychologists believe that the human mind is a:

A) general-purpose computer that can be programmed to do many different things.
B) collection of independent mental modules specialized to solve specific survival problems.
C) collection of instincts related to specific human activities and capacities.
D) computer that is being used to solve problems that it was not programmed to solve.

Question 44

Studies that look for patterns of inheritance of genetic markers in large families in which a particular condition is common are called:

A) experimental studies.
B) psychometric studies.
C) linkage studies.
D) naturalistic observation studies.

Question 45

Natural selection ensures that:

A) only the very strong members of a species will survive and pass on their genes.
B) adaptive traits will become more common in the population.
C) potentially new traits will not arise in the population.
D) genes will not spontaneously change or mutate.

Question 46

Identifying a single gene has been compared to searching for someone when all you know is that the person lives:

A) in Toronto.
B) in Canada.
C) in the western hemisphere.
D) somewhere on Earth.

Question 47

According to the principle of ________, the fate of genetic variations depends on the environment.

A) natural selection
B) sociobiology
C) linkage
D) genetic markers

Question 48

Over the past century and a half, Darwin's ideas have been:

A) vehemently rejected by findings in anthropology, botany, and molecular genetics.
B) resoundingly supported by findings in anthropology, botany, and molecular genetics.
C) rejected by findings in anthropology, but accepted among botanists and molecular geneticists.
D) accepted as interesting on a historical basis, but irrelevant to current theories.

Question 49

Because of the way our species evolved, many tendencies are either present at birth in all humans or develop rapidly during maturation. An example of one of these tendencies would be/an:

A) preference for familiar objects.
B) natural inclination toward critical thinking.
C) attraction to novelty.
D) inclination toward human resilience and joy.

Question 50

Linkage studies are used to help determine:

A) where a gene for a particular trait is likely to be located.
B) whether people sharing the same trait have a genetic marker for that trait.
C) a map of the human genome.
D) where the boundaries between individual genes are located.

Question 51

Evolution is:

A) a result of the ability of organisms to pass on acquired characteristics to their offspring.
B) a change in gene frequencies within a population over many generations.
C) caused by major climatic changes that cause some species to become extinct.
D) a result of interbreeding of closely related species.

Question 52

Which of the following traits would be LEAST likely to be "selected" by natural selection?

A) a trait that makes an animal more attractive to the opposite sex
B) a trait that causes progressive hair loss with age
C) a trait that allows an animal to better remember where food sources are located
D) a trait that increases an animal's strength and speed, allowing it to better escape from predators

Question 53

Evolution is defined as a/an:

A) interdisciplinary field of study concerned with the genetic bases of individual differences in behaviour and personality.
B) process in which individuals with genetically influenced traits that are adaptive in a particular environment tend to survive and reproduce.
C) change in gene frequencies within a population over many generations.
D) interdisciplinary field that emphasizes genetic explanations of social behaviour in animals, including human beings.

Question 54

The process of evolution primarily affects:

A) crossing over during the formation of a sperm or an egg.
B) the replication of DNA across generations.
C) the ways in which genetically influenced traits and characteristics of a population may change.
D) individual differences in physical characteristics such as height and weight.

Question 55

New characteristics can result from all of the following EXCEPT:

A) spontaneous genetic mutations.
B) crossover of genetic material between members of a chromosome pair.
C) addition of new amino acids to the DNA molecule.
D) recombination of genetic material.

Question 56

Which of the following best describes the relationship between genes and traits?

A) Physical traits are usually determined by a single gene pair, while psychological traits are usually determined by multiple genes.
B) Psychological traits are usually determined by a single gene pair, while physical traits are usually determined by multiple genes.
C) Both physical and psychological traits are usually determined by multiple genes.
D) Both physical and psychological traits are usually determined by a single gene.

Question 57

In Darwin's second book, The Descent of Man, he proposed another type of selection, in which members of the same sex complete for a partner of the opposite sex. This principle is referred to as:

A) natural selection.
B) intersexual selection.
C) intrasexual selection.
D) genetic variation.

Question 58

In the year ________ an international collaboration of researchers called the Human Genome Project and a private company, Celera Genomics, both announced that they had completed a rough draft of a map of the entire human genome.

A) 1985
B) 1990
C) 1995
D) 2000

Question 59

Which is the best statement of the principle of natural selection?

A) A species constantly improves as parents pass along their best traits to their offspring.
B) Over time, the environment naturally selects some traits over others.
C) Over time, genetic variations become more common if they are adaptive in a particular environment.
D) If a trait or characteristic is no longer adaptive, then the environment will select better, more adaptive traits.

Question 60

Evolutionary psychologists usually start their research by asking the following question:

A) What traits do modern humans have that early humans did not possess?
B) What sort of challenges to survival did prehistoric humans face?
C) What characteristics do modern humans have and how might those characteristics have evolved?
D) What kind of differences are there between modern humans living in different areas of the world?

Question 61

In a study of 10 000 people in 37 cultures, researchers found evidence that:

A) women, compared to men, are more interested in the physical attractiveness of their partners.
B) women, compared to men, are more sexually jealous and possessive of their partners.
C) men, compared to women, are more likely to emphasize the prospects of a potential mate.
D) men, compared to women, are more interested in the youth of their partners.

Question 62

According to sociobiologists, males:

A) need to shop for the best genetic deal.
B) are choosy in their choice of sexual partners.
C) seek secure, stable relationships to ensure the fidelity of females.
D) are promiscuous and drawn to sexual novelty.

Question 63

Which of the following would NOT support the views of sociobiologists?

A) Males are more likely than females to be promiscuous.
B) Males are more likely than females to engage in frequent sex.
C) Sexual practices of males are highly varied around the world.
D) Males are more likely than females to be undiscriminating in their choice of sexual partners.

Question 64

________ is an interdisciplinary field that emphasizes evolutionary explanations of social behaviour in animals, including human beings.

A) Evolutionary psychology
B) Sociobiology
C) Behavioural genetics
D) Eugenics

Question 65

An example of a characteristic that is either present at birth in all humans or develops rapidly during maturation would be a/an:

A) preference for familiar objects.
B) natural inclination toward critical thinking.
C) understanding of numbers.
D) inclination toward human resilience and joy.

Question 66

According to sociobiologists, females:

A) need to shop for the best genetic deal.
B) compete with other females for access to young males.
C) want sex more often than males do.
D) are promiscuous and drawn to sexual novelty.

Question 67

Most psychologists generally agree with all of the following EXCEPT:

A) simple behaviours such as smiling resemble instincts.
B) some behaviours are relatively uninfluenced by learning.
C) some behaviours occur in all members of the species.
D) some behaviours, such as altruism, have been selected by nature.

Question 68

When she is teaching a class on "Our human heritage," Prof. Shelbourne, a sociobiologist, is likely to contend that:

A) evolution has bred into each of us a tendency to act in ways that maximize our chances of passing on our genes.
B) evolution can explain simple behaviours, such as smiling or recognizing emotions, but it cannot account for complex social customs, such as altruism.
C) it is simplistic and misleading for researchers to study nonhuman species and argue by analogy that humans have characteristics with similar evolutionary origins.
D) explanations of infidelity and monogamy are based on stereotypes of gender differences, not the actual behaviour of human beings.

Question 69

Roger Bingham wrote: "We live in the space age with a brain from the stone age." This remark reflects the notion that:

A) human infants only have a rudimentary understanding of number, such as knowing that 2 is more than 1.
B) if a trait exists today in the human population, it must be adaptive in some way.
C) human children, like young animals, have an uncontrollable impulse to fool around.
D) behaviours that were adaptive for our ancestors may be maladaptive for human beings today.

Question 70

Sociobiology refers to the belief that:

A) human social and sexual practices are innate.
B) human social and sexual practices are too unique and varied to be due to evolutionary factors.
C) although biology determines many human characteristics, social behaviours result from the effects of culture.
D) biological principles can be applied to social and sexual customs in both nonhuman animals and humans.

Question 71

Which of the following would an evolutionary psychologist expect to be more typical of females than of males?

A) promiscuity
B) choosiness about sexual partners
C) concern with dominance
D) emphasis on physical attractiveness of partners

Question 72

Sociobiologists suggest that humans behave in ways that will:

A) optimize the chance of passing on their genes at the expense of the genes of their relatives.
B) maximize the propagation of their genes and those of their relatives.
C) optimize the chances for males, but not for females, to propagate their genes.
D) maximize the survival of the fittest members of the community in which they live.

Question 73

Most psychologists would agree that the evolutionary history of our species accounts for our:

A) engagement in warfare.
B) preference for sweet tastes.
C) willingness to help others.
D) sexual strategies.

Question 74

Many evolutionary psychologists believe that people are born with mental modules for all of the following basic cognitive skills EXCEPT:

A) recognizing faces.
B) acquiring language.
C) understanding numbers.
D) basic computational skills.

Question 75

Which of the following is NOT an innate human characteristic?

A) an interest in novelty
B) an impulse to play
C) a preference for constancy
D) a desire to explore and manipulate objects

Question 76

Which of the following is NOT part of the human biological heritage?

A) a love of play
B) an avoidance of unfamiliar objects
C) an ability to recognize faces
D) a sucking reflex at birth

Question 77

To a sociobiologist, many social customs exist because:

A) they reflect maladaptive brain modules that human beings have inherited from their ancestors.
B) human beings are not tied to their genetic heritage and are capable of developing social practices that do not influence the transmission of genes.
C) human beings have developed genetic traits that have enabled the establishment of odd and strange social rituals.
D) as with physical characteristics, nature selects those psychological traits and social customs that aid the transmission of genes.

Question 78

Many tendencies are either present at birth in all humans or develop rapidly during maturation. The following are all examples of these tendencies EXCEPT:

A) infant reflexes.
B) desire to explore.
C) attraction to familiar objects.
D) basic cognitive skills.

Question 79

In order to study for her psychology exam, Nikiah is making index cards listing tendencies and characteristics that are either present at birth in all humans or develop rapidly during maturation. Which of the following will NOT be in her list?

A) a preference for familiar objects
B) a desire to explore and manipulate objects
C) an understanding of numbers
D) an impulse to play and fool around

Question 80

Although evolutionary psychologists and sociobiologists tend to agree about the results of opposite sexual strategies for males and females, evolutionary psychologists contend that sociobiologists:

A) have wrongly assumed that human behaviours have been subject to evolutionary selection pressures.
B) incorrectly assume that men prefer younger women, and women prefer older men.
C) rely too heavily on comparisons with other species in explaining human behaviours.
D) place too much emphasis on the innate characteristics of many human behaviours.