Question 1

As presented in the textbook, in one of the most influential papers on modern evolutionary theory, Robert Trivers (1972) used sex differences in parental investment to explain different mating systems. Trivers argued that monogamy should be the most common mating arrangement if

Accepted Answer

Trivers' theory posits that monogamy is most likely to evolve in species where both males and females invest heavily in their offspring. This mutual investment makes it advantageous for both parents to remain together to ensure the survival and success of their offspring.

Question 2

A mother risks her own life by rushing into a burning house to save her son. How can we explain this behaviour from a behavioural genetic viewpoint?

Accepted Answer

Kin selection is a behavioral genetic concept that explains altruistic behavior towards close relatives, as it increases the likelihood of the survival of shared genes.

Question 3

Let's assume that there was an evolutionary change in eating favouring the selection of healthy food. If so, this would be the result of

Accepted Answer

The answer of Let's assume that there was an evolutionary...

Question 4

You are observing a new species from the Amazon rain forest. It would appear that the females and males spend about the same amount of time looking after the offspring. According to Trivers' theory regarding mating systems, the likely mating system is

Accepted Answer

Trivers' theory suggests that in species where both males and females invest equally in offspring care, monogamy is the most likely mating system. This is because both parents are equally invested in the success of their offspring, leading to a cooperative breeding strategy.

Question 5

You are observing a new species from the Amazon rain forest. It would appear that the mating system is polygyny. According to Trivers' theory regarding mating systems, you would predict that

Accepted Answer

In a polygynous mating system, where males mate with multiple females, females tend to be more discriminating when choosing a mate. This is because the reproductive success of females is more directly impacted by the quality of the mate, as they invest more in offspring through gestation and, often, care.

Question 6

A change in gene frequency is typically the result of evolution. However, it could simply be due to

Accepted Answer

Mutations can cause changes in gene frequency as they introduce new genetic variations into a population, which can occur independently of evolutionary processes like natural selection.

Question 7

Dr. Jonas is a genetic researcher. She looks at the similarity in personality variables for fraternal versus identical twins. When she reports that identical twins are more similar than fraternal twins, she is really giving you information about

Accepted Answer

Concordance refers to the degree to which related individuals (such as twins) show similarity in specific traits or behaviors. When Dr. Jonas reports that identical twins are more similar than fraternal twins in terms of personality variables, she is discussing the concordance rates between these groups, which can suggest the influence of genetic factors on these traits. Identical twins share more of their genetic makeup than fraternal twins, leading to higher concordance rates for genetically influenced traits.

Question 8

You are observing a new species from the Amazon rain forest. It would appear that the mating system is polygyny. According to Trivers' theory regarding mating systems, what would lead you to this conclusion?

Accepted Answer

Trivers' theory suggests that in species where one sex, typically males, competes for mates, they tend to be larger or have other attributes that give them an advantage in competition. This is consistent with a polygynous mating system where a single male mates with multiple females.

Question 9

You are observing a new species from the Amazon rain forest. It would appear that the females spend more time looking after the offspring than the males. According to Trivers' theory regarding mating systems, the females are higher in

Accepted Answer

According to Trivers' theory, the sex that invests more in the offspring (in this case, the females) is considered to have a higher parental investment. This theory suggests that the sex with the higher parental investment will be more selective in mating, while the other sex competes for access to the high-investing sex.

Question 10

Let's say you are studying twins and observe that a particular characteristic occurs very often in both sets of monozygotic twins. We would say that this characteristic has

Accepted Answer

High concordance in the context of twin studies refers to the occurrence of the same trait or characteristic in both twins. If a particular characteristic is observed very often in both sets of monozygotic (identical) twins, it suggests that the characteristic is highly concordant, indicating a strong genetic component.

Question 11

You are observing a new species from the Amazon rain forest. It would appear that the females spend more time looking after the offspring than the males. According to Trivers' theory regarding mating systems, the likely mating system is

Accepted Answer

According to Trivers' theory, in species where females invest more in offspring care, males often compete for access to multiple females, leading to a polygynous mating system.

Question 12

You are observing a particular species and note that a group of males have formed a coalition and are attacking another member of the species. What species are you observing?

Accepted Answer

Both humans and chimpanzees are known to form coalitions and engage in aggressive behavior towards others, including within their own species. This behavior has been documented in studies of human societies and in observations of chimpanzee communities.

Question 13

According to Trivers' theory regarding mating systems, only one of the systems predicts that the females will be larger and stronger than the males. Which one?

Accepted Answer

Trivers' theory suggests that in polyandry, where one female mates with multiple males, the females are likely to be larger and stronger. This is because the female's investment in reproduction is relatively lower, allowing her to invest more in size and strength, which can be advantageous for securing multiple mates.

Question 14

Let's say you are studying twins and observe that a particular characteristic does not occur very often in both sets of monozygotic twins. We would say that this characteristic has

Accepted Answer

Low concordance in the context of monozygotic twins means that the characteristic does not frequently appear in both twins, suggesting that it is not strongly genetically determined.

Question 15

You are observing a new species from the Amazon rain forest. It would appear that the females spend more time looking after the offspring than the males. According to Trivers' theory regarding mating systems, you should expect that

Accepted Answer

According to Trivers' theory of parental investment, the sex that invests more in the offspring (in this case, the females) will be more discriminating in choosing a mate. This is because the investment in offspring is a significant cost, and selecting a mate with good genes or who can provide additional resources can increase the offspring's chances of survival.

Question 16

You are observing a particular species of chimpanzee and note that a group of males have formed a coalition and are attacking another member of the group. You have only ever observed this behaviour in one other species. Which of the following would that be?

Accepted Answer

Coalitionary aggression, where a group of individuals team up to attack another individual, is a behavior observed in both chimpanzees and humans. This type of social behavior is part of both species' complex social structures and strategies for gaining or maintaining power and status within their groups.

Question 17

You are observing a new species from the Amazon rain forest. It would appear that the mating system is polygynandry. According to Trivers' theory regarding mating systems, what would lead you to this conclusion?

Accepted Answer

Polygynandry is characterized by multiple males mating with multiple females, leading to a high degree of promiscuity in the mating system. This is in contrast to systems where one gender is more discriminating or significantly larger than the other, which would suggest different mating strategies.

Question 18

Dr. Galton holds strong beliefs about the genetic basis of intelligence. He believes that intelligence is almost completely determined by genes and therefore, we should not waste public money trying tom train those individuals who are less intelligent. To him, this seems proper and good. Dr. Galton's position is an example of

Accepted Answer

The answer of Dr. Galton holds strong beliefs about the...

Question 19

The concept of ____________ states that if something is genetically based, it is right and good.

Accepted Answer

Social Darwinism applies the concept of "survival of the fittest" to society, economics, and politics, implying that if a trait has evolved, it is inherently right or good. This interpretation has been used historically to justify various forms of inequality and social policies.

Question 20

While a large number of human characteristics are under genetic, that influence is not perfect. Genes really determine the ______ for any characteristic.

Accepted Answer

Genes determine the "reaction range" for any characteristic, which is the range of possible phenotypes that can result from a given genotype in different environmental conditions.

Quiz 4: Genes, Evolution, and Behaviour