Question 1

Evolutionary theory predicts that human males should choose females who

Accepted Answer

Evolutionary theory predicts that males should choose females who have high reproductive value, meaning they are healthy, fertile, and have the potential to produce offspring with good genetic traits. This increases the likelihood that their genes will be passed on to future generations. Choosing older females, females with many sexual partners, or asymmetrical females does not necessarily increase a male's likelihood of passing on his genes.

Question 2

Humans rarely mate with close relatives because

Accepted Answer

Childhood propinquity, or the close proximity to close relatives during childhood, can lead to a decrease in sexual desire towards them later in life. This phenomenon is thought to be an evolved mechanism that reduces the risk of inbreeding and genetic abnormalities in offspring. While cultural norms and religious beliefs may reinforce these biological taboos, the underlying cause is likely rooted in natural selection.

Question 3

In Buss's cross-cultural survey, which of the following traits did males value more than females?

Accepted Answer

The answer of In Buss's cross-cultural survey, which of the...

Question 4

The advantage of outbreeding over inbreeding, and why inbreeding is avoided in humans and other primates, is that it

Accepted Answer

Outbreeding increases genetic diversity by introducing new alleles into a population, which can reduce the expression of deleterious recessive alleles. Inbreeding, on the other hand, increases the likelihood of homozygosity, which can increase the expression of deleterious recessive alleles. In humans and other primates, inbreeding is avoided to reduce the risk of genetic diseases that can result from the expression of deleterious alleles.

Question 5

Which of the following statements is true?

Accepted Answer

Research in social psychology and evolutionary psychology suggests that, in new relationships, men often overestimate a woman's sexual interest in them, while women tend to underestimate a man's interest in commitment. This dynamic can lead to miscommunications and misunderstandings in the early stages of relationships.

Question 6

If you have one deleterious recessive allele that causes early death in its homozygous state, what is the probability that an offspring by you and your full sibling would acquire the lethal disease?

Accepted Answer

The answer of If you have one deleterious recessive allele...

Question 7

Natural selection should favor behaviors that

Accepted Answer

Inbreeding can increase the likelihood of deleterious recessive genes being expressed in offspring. Therefore, natural selection should favor behaviors that reduce mating with relatives to decrease the chance of offspring inheriting harmful traits.

Question 8

In Buss's cross-cultural survey, which of the following traits did females value more than males?

Accepted Answer

In Buss's cross-cultural survey, females valued ambition and industriousness more than males, indicating a preference for partners with the ability to provide resources and stability.

Question 9

Taboos about who is an eligible marriage partner can be

Accepted Answer

Taboos about who is an eligible marriage partner can be examples of inbreeding avoidance mechanisms, as they help to prevent mating between individuals who are too closely related and reduce the risk of genetic disorders in offspring.

Question 10

Third-party attitudes toward incest arise when individuals extend their own aversion to incest to others in the society in which they live, viewing incest by others with disdain. What else is true of this phenomenon?

Accepted Answer

Individuals who grew up with only same-sex siblings have the greatest aversion to incest by other adults because they have not had the opportunity to develop a sexual attraction to their siblings.

Question 11

Nonhuman primates avoid close inbreeding by

Accepted Answer

Nonhuman primates avoid close inbreeding by transferring one sex at sexual maturity to distant groups. This helps to prevent mating with closely related individuals and maintains genetic diversity within the population.

Question 12

Evolutionary theory predicts that human females should choose males who

Accepted Answer

Evolutionary theory suggests that females choose males who can provide the most resources to ensure the survival and well-being of both themselves and their offspring. This is known as the "resource acquisition hypothesis." In many human societies, males who have more resources (such as financial stability or social status) are considered more desirable as mates.

Question 13

Among nonhuman primates, which of the following statements about inbreeding is true?

Accepted Answer

Inbreeding among nonhuman primates is rare because these species often have mechanisms to avoid mating with close relatives, thereby preventing the negative effects of inbreeding such as reduced genetic diversity and increased risk of genetic disorders.

Question 14

Which of the following is evidence that psychological mechanisms reduce the chance of close inbreeding?

Accepted Answer

Taiwanese minor marriages involve marrying close relatives in order to avoid outbreeding, which suggests that there is a psychological mechanism in place to reduce the chance of close inbreeding.

Question 15

Generally, Buss's cross-cultural data show that

Accepted Answer

Buss's cross-cultural data show that both cultural differences and gender differences contribute to mate preferences. For example, males tend to place importance on physical attractiveness and youthfulness, while females tend to prioritize traits like financial resources and social status, but these preferences can vary across cultures. Therefore, D is the correct choice. A is incorrect because Buss's data actually show that both males and females value traits that facilitate long-term relationships. B is incorrect because Buss's data do show some gender differences consistent with evolutionary theory. C is incorrect because while Buss's data show that males often value female promiscuity more than females value male promiscuity, this is not the only or primary finding of his research.

Question 16

When a sister mates with her brother, there is a ________ chance that he will carry the same deleterious recessive gene that she does.

Accepted Answer

Siblings share, on average, 50% of their genes due to common parentage, meaning there is a 50% chance a brother carries the same deleterious recessive gene as his sister.

Question 17

Which of the following statements correctly describes incest prohibitions?

Accepted Answer

Incest prohibitions do not always conform to genetic categories. Cultural and social factors can influence which types of relationships are considered incestuous in different societies. For example, some societies prohibit marriages between first cousins, while others allow it. Similarly, some societies prohibit sexual relationships between aunts/uncles and nieces/nephews, even though they are not necessarily closely related genetically.

Question 18

If the coefficient of relatedness between mates is 50%, and both are heterozygous for a deleterious recessive allele, Mendel's laws predict that ________ of their offspring will be homozygous recessive and die.

Accepted Answer

When both parents are heterozygous for a deleterious recessive allele, according to Mendel's laws of inheritance, there is a 25% chance that any given offspring will inherit two copies of the recessive allele (one from each parent) and thus be homozygous recessive. This calculation is independent of the coefficient of relatedness between the parents.

Question 19

Which of the following statements about Taiwanese minor marriages is true?

Accepted Answer

Taiwanese minor marriages were possible when parents had greater control over their children's actions, as the parents arranged the marriages. The other three statements are not true, as Taiwanese minor marriages often result in a higher number of children, have a high rate of separation and divorce, and may involve infidelity.

Question 20

In Buss's cross-cultural survey of mate preferences, he found that males and females cared most about

Accepted Answer

Buss's survey found that mutual attraction and love were the top priority for both males and females, followed by good health and resources. Chastity and good sex were not as highly rated.

Quiz 15: Evolution and Human Behavior