Deck 8: Sex and Gender

Question 1

Recent brain imaging research has shown that males produce greater activation of the _____ than females in response to viewing sexual stimuli, although both males and females showed similar responses in areas of the brain associated with reward, and both rated the material as equally arousing.

A) amygdala and hypothalamus
B) hippocampus and thalamus
C) limbic system and basal ganglia
D) visual and motor areas

Answer 1

amygdala and hypothalamus

Question 2

When there is direct fighting between males, as in the case of elephant seals, then it is obvious that the one who wins is more physically fit. What the advantage to the peahen of of choosing the peacock with the brightest tail?

A) It is exciting, so she is more likely to conceive.
B) There is a direct relationship between the his tail and his health.
C) There is no advantage, but there is not disadvantage, either.
D) The peacock can draw predators away from her and her chicks.

Answer 2

There is a direct relationship between the his tail and his health.

Question 3

Sexual reproduction has advantages, but it also has its disadvantages. Which of the following is NOT one of them?

A) Because of the recombination of genes, genotypes are constantly changing.
B) Considerable energy is expended as males and females compete for mates.
C) It is inefficient, in that it requires twice as many offspring as asexual reproduction.
D)The environment must support ways for males and females to come into contact.

Answer 3

Because of the recombination of genes, genotypes are constantly changing.

Question 4

In normal times, paramecia simply divide to reproduce; but when times are hard, one paramecium joins with another

A) and genetic mixing takes place.
B) for the good of the species.
C) to continue as a single organism.
D) until the hard times are over.

Question 5

The big-picture view suggests that organisms compete to

A) ensure only the fittest survive.
B) pass high-quality genes to the offspring.
C) prevent overpopulation of the species.
D) remove weaker members from the group.

Question 6

Gender differences found in sexual desire or behavior cannot be related to satisfaction of the experience because

A) ratings of satisfaction are generally considered unreliable.
B) researchers controlled for differences in level of satisfaction.
C) satisfaction of experience was not a factor that was considered.
D) studies find no differences between males and females in level of satisfaction.

Question 7

Clark and Hatfield (1989) studied college men and women's willingness to engage in sexual intercourse with a stranger. What did they find?

A) Few respondents of either sex indicated they were willing.
B) Half of the men and half of the women indicated they were willing.
C) It largely depended on the attractiveness of the person who asked.
D)Most of the men were willing, but virtually none of the women were.

Question 8

The World Health Organization estimates that there are _____ million acts of human sexual intercourse each day but fewer than _____ million conceptions.

A) 100, 1
B) 100, 10
C) 500, 1
D) 500, 10

Question 9

Male chimpanzees, who share females with other males, have _____ testicles for their body size compared with male gorillas, who are assured of paternity.

A) average
B) larger
C) smaller
D) tiny

Question 10

A large variety of studies have suggested four important differences in sexuality between males and females. Based on this research which of the following statements is NOT true?

A) Males are more willing to engage in extramarital sexual behavior than females.
B) Males initiate sexual behaviors more frequently than females.
C) Males show more flexibility in sexual predispositions than females.
D) Males show more sexual interest than females.

Question 11

When the pressures of natural selection and survival are at odds with those of sexual selection and reproduction, Darwin determined that evolution will favor

A) a wait and see strategy.
B) reproduction for some, survival for others.
C) reproduction over survival.
D) survival over reproduction.

Question 12

Since gender differences began to be reported in psychological research, there has been a fierce debate as to the nature of these differences; however, the author contends that three points have been missed in this debate. Which of the following is NOT one of those missed points?

A) Many arguments adopt a simplistic version of human behavior and experience.
B) Philosophical arguments are no match for scientific evidence.
C) Researchers have not been directing their comments to the individual level.
D) The debates often ignore the fact that feelings do not always lead to actions.

Question 13

Research done at Israeli kibbutzim, which are communal societies, show that individuals brought up together from early childhood show a(n) _____ sexual desire toward each other even when they are not related.

A) aberrant
B) increased
C) reduced
D) unrequited

Question 14

The brightly colored male satin bowerbird builds a structure called a bower for the female to stand in while she watches him strut and sing. How does the female decide which male to mate with?

A) She decides based on how extensively decorated the bower is.
B) She decides based on how intensely the male struts and sings.
C) Younger females decide by the bower, older ones by the performance.
D) Younger females decide by the performance, older ones by the bower.

Question 15

There are gender differences in actual sexual behavior, with males seeking sex more often than females; this is true for _____ couples.

A) both heterosexual and homosexual
B) heterosexual and lesbian but not gay
C) heterosexual but not homosexual
D) some but not all

Question 16

Not only are males more aggressive than females, they also commit more serious crimes, including almost _____% of the murders reported in the United States.

A) 60
B) 70
C) 80
D) 90

Question 17

It has been found in a variety of species that genes related to _____ production evolve faster than other genes.

A) egg
B) hormone
C) pheromone
D) sperm

Question 18

Gorillas are found in equatorial Africa, and the males are nearly twice as large as the females; they spend nearly half of each day feeding. Their social structure is best described as which of the following?

A) They live in fairly stable groups composed of one male and several females with their young.
B) They live in joint male-female territories and remain socially monogamous for decades.
C) They live in social groups of around 50 animals; males establish a dominance hierarchy.
D) They live in small fission-fusion groups; females band together to ward off aggressive males.

Question 19

Competition between males can take the form of outright fighting, as in the case of elephant seals or reindeer; at other times, it is to determine who has the brightest colors, as in a variety of male birds and fish. Females, on the other hand,

A) also compete, but this is less overt.
B) are rarely impressed by these displays.
C) can be even more aggressive.
D) do not need to compete for mates.

Question 20

Evolutionary psychologists ask what historical factors could have led humans to have a propensity for experiencing the world in a certain way; on the other hand, social _____ theories focus on the current social pressures experienced by the individuals

A) behavioral
B) cognitive
C) constructivist
D) neuroscience

Question 21

Bonobos live in central Africa. Unlike other mammals that show sexual activity only during a few days of the female's cycle, female bonobos are almost continuously sexually active, and it has been suggested that the bonobo uses sexuality in place of aggression. Their social structure is best described as which of the following?

A) They live in fairly stable groups composed of one male and several females with their young.
B) They live in joint male-female territories and remain socially monogamous for decades.
C) They live in social groups of around 50 animals; males establish a dominance hierarchy.
D) They live in small fission-fusion groups; females band together to ward off aggressive males.

Question 22

_____ is the situation in which one male and one female are paired more or less exclusively during the mating season.

Question 23

Sexuality between males and females may offer advantages to future offspring by

A) ensuring the father will provide resources.
B) having two parents to raise them.
C) increasing genetic variability.
D) providing greater social structure.

Question 24

According to the _____ hypothesis, sex might provide an advantage to organisms in that they could change faster than the parasites trying to adapt to them.

Question 25

Among northern elephant seals, the dominant male creates harems, which they protect from other males. This mating pattern is known as

A) monogamy
B) polyandry
C) polygyny
D) promiscuity

Question 26

In a study of gender differences in sexual predispositions, a research team raised newborn sheep with goat parents and newborn goats with sheep parents. They found that _____ preferred to mate with members of the adoptive species.

A) females, but not males,
B) females more than males
C) males, but not females,
D) males more than females

Question 27

In addition to his theory of natural selection, Darwin also developed a theory of _____, which emphasized the manner in which organisms have evolved not only to survive but also to reproduce.

Question 28

_____ refers to the situation in which one male and one female live together, but each also engages in extra-pair couplings.

Question 29

Although sperm carries the same amount of genetic material from the father as the egg does from the mother, it is the fact that the mother's egg provides the _____ necessary for the initial development of the organism that accounts for the difference in size.

Question 30

Among shorebirds living in the Arctic Circle, the female seeks out and court the males; once she has laid eggs, the male incubates them while she goes out and courts additional males. This mating system is known as

A) polyandry
B) polygyny
C) sexual monogamy
D) social monogamy

Question 31

Baumeister investigated the manner in which external factors can influence attitudes and behaviors and found three basic themes. Which of the following is NOT one of those themes?

A) Men engage in more sexual fantasizing than women do.
B) Men's sexual predispositions, once they emerge, will remain stable.
C) Women's predispositions will be more influenced by her culture and society.
D) Women match their sexual behavior to cultural norms, men to their own attitudes.

Question 32

One type of sperm has the purpose of destroying existing sperm in the female reproductive tract; this type of sperm, which is sometimes called _____, has the job of destroying sperm from a different male.

Question 33

In the 1970s, Geoff Parker suggested that if two or more males mate with the same female, their sperm could compete with one another to fertilize the egg; this process has been referred to as _____

Question 34

Some species signal sexual interest by means of _____, molecules whose scent carries an important sexual message.

Question 35

Gibbons are found in Southeast Asia and spend part of their days moving through the canopies of trees foraging for food as well as just resting. Males and females are equal in size, and there appears to be little competition among males for mates. Their social structure is best described as which of the following?

A) They live in fairly stable groups composed of one male and several females with their young.
B) They live in joint male-female territories and remain socially monogamous for decades.
C) They live in social groups of around 50 animals; males establish a dominance hierarchy.
D) They live in small fission-fusion groups; females band together to ward off aggressive males.

Question 36

One of the themes of Darwin's theory of sexual selection was _____, males with males and females with females, for access to a mate.

Question 37

_____ refers to the situation in which one male and female mate only with each other.

Question 38

According to the author, a hundred years ago females were viewed as uninterested in sex, and males were told to _____ to help reduce their sexual desire.

A) eat cornflakes
B) play sports
C) take cold showers
D) think pious thoughts

Question 39

All whiptail lizards are female, as are all of their offspring, and their eggs require no fertilization by sperm; this type of reproduction is referred to as _____, which is Greek for virgin birth.

Question 40

Chimpanzees are found in central Africa. They have been described as smart, social, sexual, and political, as well as a species that fights, reconciles, makes tools, hunts, makes war, and can also practice infanticide and cannibalism. Males are only slightly larger than females. Their social structure is best described as which of the following?

A) They live in fairly stable groups composed of one male and several females with their young.
B) They live in joint male-female territories and remain socially monogamous for decades.
C) They live in social groups of around 50 animals; males establish a dominance hierarchy.
D) They live in small fission-fusion groups; females band together to ward off aggressive males.

Question 41

Chimpanzees and gorillas of Africa are referred to as _____ because they are larger than gibbons and siamangs.

Question 42

Like other chimpanzees, bonobo society is described as _____; that is, bonobos move in small groups that may constantly change during the day.

Question 43

Describe the social and mating system of each of the following primates, all close relatives to humans: gibbons, gorillas, chimpanzees, and bonobos. In what ways is the human social and mating system similar and different from those of related species?

Question 44

Gibbons and siamangs of Southeast Asia are referred to as _____ because they are smaller than chimpanzees and gorillas.

Question 45

Discuss the various ways males compete with other males for mates, illustrating with examples from the text.

Question 46

Explain the difference between natural selection and sexual selection. When the two conflict, which wins out?

Question 47

Gorillas typically move about using all four limbs in a style of locomotion known as _____.

Question 48

Male chimpanzees establish a _____ in which one male seeks to limit access to the females in his group; however, the females often mate with a number of males during estrus.

Question 49

Among shorebirds of the Arctic Circle, the female seeks out and courts the males; once she has laid eggs, the male incubates them while the female seeks out and courts additional males. This situation is known as ____.

Question 50

The term _____ is used to describe the situation in which one male mates with multiple females.

Question 51

The _____ is a type of chimpanzee that also lives in central Africa; unlike other mammals that show sexual activity only during a few days of the female's cycle, the females of this species are almost continuously sexually active.

Question 52

There are basically four types of mating systems: one male with one female (monogamy), one male with multiple females (polygyny), one female with multiple males (polyandry), and multiple males with multiple females (promiscuity). Using example species from the text, describe how these mating systems are employed.

Question 53

What is the Red Queen hypothesis? In what way is sex like a lottery?

Question 54

_____ is the general term used to describe the situation in which one member of one sex is paired with more than one member of the opposite sex.