Question 1

Which of the following depicts an evoked culture?

Accepted Answer

Evoked culture refers to cultural differences created by differing environmental conditions activating a predictable set of responses. In choice B, the fear of dark ocean water is a direct response to the environmental condition (darkness), which evokes physiological arousal, fitting the definition of evoked culture.

Question 2

Which of the following correctly compares cultural evolution and biological evolution?

Accepted Answer

Cultural evolution can transmit ideas and behaviors regardless of their adaptiveness, unlike biological evolution which is driven by natural selection favoring traits that increase survival and reproduction.

Question 3

Imagine a young woman named Jaymie who believes she should eat only red foods.Which of the following would be the best evidence that Jaymie's belief is a result of cultural evolution, not biological evolution?

Accepted Answer

Jaymie's belief in red foods being the most nutritious is influenced by her peers, indicating a cultural transmission of ideas rather than a biological predisposition.

Question 4

East Asia is at a latitude that allows for the easy domestication of plants and animals, and having these conditions in early times propelled East Asian cultures to prosperity today.This scenario is an example of

Accepted Answer

Distal causes refer to underlying factors or conditions that have long-term effects, often historical or geographical, that indirectly influence outcomes. The scenario describes how the geographical and environmental conditions of East Asia (its latitude facilitating the domestication of plants and animals) have had a long-term impact on the prosperity of East Asian cultures, fitting the definition of distal causes.

Question 5

In biological evolution, the unit of transmission is a gene.In cultural evolution, the unit of transmission is an idea.When comparing biological and cultural evolution, which of the following is FALSE?

Accepted Answer

In cultural evolution, ideas (memes) do not always have to be adaptive to be transmitted widely, unlike genes in biological evolution where adaptiveness generally increases the likelihood of transmission. Cultural ideas can spread based on novelty, humor, or other factors not directly related to adaptiveness.

Question 6

Takeshi discovers a lot of tips and tricks to give him an easier time playing his favorite computer game, which he proceeds to show all his gaming buddies.Which of the following does this best illustrate?

Accepted Answer

Horizontal transmission refers to the spread of behaviors, information, or ideas among peers or individuals of the same generation, which is what Takeshi is doing by sharing tips and tricks with his gaming buddies.

Question 7

The examples of native Hawaiians having no large indigenous mammals in Hawaii and of the !Kung being surrounded by large animals in the Kalahari Desert are given in the textbook to illustrate which of the following?

Accepted Answer

These examples illustrate how the presence or absence of large animals in a region can influence the cultural traditions for foraging. In Hawaii, the lack of large indigenous mammals shaped a different set of foraging practices compared to the !Kung, who had to adapt their cultural traditions to coexist with and utilize the large animals in their environment.

Question 8

The considerable cultural differences between the large Nuer tribes and the smaller, less powerful Dinka tribes of southern Sudan indicates that

Accepted Answer

The considerable cultural differences between the Nuer and Dinka tribes, despite their geographical proximity, highlight the significant impact of transmitted culture, which includes the customs, beliefs, and practices passed down through generations within each tribe.

Question 9

Which of the following is true regarding cultural evolution?

Accepted Answer

Cultural evolution involves the transmission of ideas, beliefs, and practices from one generation to the next through learning, which can occur both vertically (from parent to child) and horizontally (among peers or within a generation). This allows for a dynamic and complex process of cultural change and adaptation.

Question 10

The link between pathogen prevalence and conformity has been used as an example of

Accepted Answer

The link between pathogen prevalence and conformity is an example of evoked culture, where environmental factors trigger certain cultural responses or behaviors.

Question 11

In a gardening competition, the Martians' steel tools allowed them to easily defeat the Earthlings, who used wooden tools.Which of the following best explains why the Martians defeated the Earthlings?

Accepted Answer

The Martians' victory is directly attributed to their use of superior steel tools compared to the Earthlings' wooden tools, making it a proximate (immediate) cause of their success.

Question 12

How is the historical prevalence of pathogens linked to the motivation to conform?

Accepted Answer

Higher pathogen prevalence has been linked to stronger conformity rates because communities adopt strict social norms related to hygiene, food preparation, water protection, and interactions with strangers to lower the risk of infection. These practices help in controlling the spread of diseases, and as a result, there is a greater emphasis on conforming to these established norms to ensure community health and safety.

Question 13

Which of the following is an example of a proximate cause?

Accepted Answer

A proximate cause is an immediate, direct cause of an event. Choice D (An Egyptian pharaoh brought in horse-drawn chariots, which allowed his army to outmaneuver and defeat his enemy in battle) is an example of a proximate cause because it directly explains how the introduction of horse-drawn chariots led to a military victory.

Question 14

What of the following is a correct distal cause of the Spanish defeat of the Incas?

Accepted Answer

The Spaniards' long history of living in close proximity to domesticated animals facilitated the transmission of diseases from animals to humans. Over time, this exposure led to the development of immunity to various diseases among European populations. When the Spaniards arrived in the Americas, they brought with them diseases to which the indigenous populations, including the Incas, had no immunity. This significant difference in disease exposure and immunity levels played a crucial role in the Spanish conquest of the Incas, making it a distal cause of their defeat.

Question 15

The historical prevalence of pathogens in a region correlates positively with the degree to which people value conformity.This finding is argued to be evidence for

Accepted Answer

Evoked culture refers to cultural practices that arise in response to environmental conditions. In regions with high pathogen prevalence, conformity may be valued as a way to reduce the spread of disease, thus evoking cultural norms that emphasize conformity.

Question 16

Whereas the term ________ describes explanations using factors that occurred a long time ago, the term ________ describes explanations using factors that have direct and immediate effects.

Accepted Answer

Distal causes refer to factors that have occurred in the distant past and have a long-term influence, while proximate causes are those that have direct and immediate effects.

Question 17

According to Jared Diamond, why were the germs brought by the Spaniards so much deadlier to the Incans than the Incan germs were to the Spaniards?

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to Jared Diamond, why were the...

Question 18

Which of the following best illustrates the importance of transmitted culture?

Accepted Answer

Transmitted culture involves the passing of knowledge and practices from one group to another, as illustrated by Amundsen's survival due to the knowledge shared by the Netsilik.

Question 19

Is conformity an example of evoked culture or transmitted culture, and why?

Accepted Answer

Conformity can be seen as an example of evoked culture because stronger norms promoting conformity may arise in response to ecological factors, such as the prevalence of pathogens, which is a characteristic of evoked culture.

Question 20

Which of the following is true when comparing biological evolution with cultural evolution?

Accepted Answer

Biological evolution involves changes in genetic traits over generations, which is a relatively slow and faithful process, meaning the genetic information is accurately passed down. Cultural evolution, on the other hand, involves changes in knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors within societies and can occur rapidly and unfaithfully, as information can be altered, misinterpreted, or selectively adopted as it is passed between individuals.

Quiz 3: Methods for Studying Culture and Psychology