Deck 4: Genes, Evolution, and Behaviour

Question 1

Let's say that we measure the height of every student in your class and conclude that the heritability coefficient is +.75.This means that

A) height is genetically determined.
B) about 75% of height variation in the class is due to genetic factors.
C) about 75% of height variation in the class is due to environmental factors.
D) height in the general population is about 75% genetic.
E) we made an error-heritability cannot exceed +0.50.

Answer 1

about 75% of height variation in the class is due to genetic factors.

Question 2

According to "evolutionary personality" theorists (such as David Buss),there are a limited number of personality traits that are universal in all cultures.Further,such theorists argued that these universal traits evolved because

A) they have contributed to the physical survival of humans.
B) they have contributed to the reproductive success of the species.
C) over time through the process of natural selection,they have become part of human nature.
D) they are typically learned at a very young age.
E) they have contributed to the physical survival of humans and they have contributed to the reproductive success of the species.

Answer 2

they have contributed to the physical survival of humans and they have contributed to the reproductive success of the species.

Question 3

Many researchers are interested to know whether intelligence is determined mainly by biological factors or mainly by environmental factors.Studies comparing the IQ of identical vs.fraternal twins consistently show a much higher concordance for the identical twins.Which of the following confounding variables might lead us to overestimate the extent to which intelligence might be attributed to genetic heritability in such studies?

A) the identical twins share more biological information
B) the identical twins were raised in the same environment
C) the fraternal twins still share a large amount of biological information
D) the fraternal twins were separated at birth
E) intelligence cannot be accurately measured

Answer 3

the identical twins were raised in the same environment

Question 4

The procedure where scientists use enzymes to cut strands of DNA and then insert the pieces of DNA into other organisms is known as the

A) gene knockout procedure.
B) recombinant DNA procedure.
C) polygenic transmission procedure.
D) genome sequencing procedure.
E) behaviour genetics technique.

Question 5

The heritability coefficient is used to estimate

A) the probability that a person will share a given gene with his or her parents.
B) the probability that a person will share a given gene with a sibling.
C) the extent to which variation in a group of people can be accounted for by environmental factors.
D) the extent to which variation in a group of people can be accounted for by genetic factors.
E) none of these;the heritability coefficient does not tell us anything about contributions to a trait/characteristic.

Question 6

Any phenotypic expression that is the result of a number of gene pairs is produced by

A) dominant expression.
B) recessive expression.
C) polygenic transmission.
D) genome sequencing.
E) chromosomal knockout.

Question 7

Which of the following helps mammals to avoid the constant aggression associated with territorial defense and competition for mates?

A) reciprocal altruism
B) dominance hierarchies
C) emotional stability
D) scarce resources
E) polyandry

Question 8

A mother risks her own life by rushing into a burning house to save her son.According to the theory of kin selection,she is most likely performing this altruistic behaviour because

A) she feels she should help her son because it is expected of her.
B) she feels she should contribute to the welfare of the society.
C) protection of her offspring is an essential element of the loving bond between mother and child.
D) she has a strong genetic relatedness with her son.
E) she expects that her son will repay her in the future.

Question 9

As a genetic researcher,you measure the similarity of a variety of characteristics among family members who have various degrees of genetic relationship.You are measuring

A) concordance.
B) reaction ranges.
C) polygenic transmission.
D) domain-specific adaptations.
E) kin selection.

Question 10

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

A) empiricism
B) genetic determinism
C) social Darwinism
D) behaviour genetics
E) adaptation

Question 11

The concept of ____________ states that genes have a predetermined,invariant,and unavoidable effect on traits and behaviour.

A) empiricism
B) genetic determinism
C) social Darwinism
D) behaviour genetics
E) adaptation

Question 12

An adoption study examining the heritability of criminal behaviour found that people whose biological parents and adoptive parents both had criminal records were most likely to be criminals themselves.This study demonstrates

A) the influence of genetic factors on criminal behaviour.
B) how the environment and genetic factors can interact to produce behaviour.
C) the influence of environmental factors on criminal behaviour.
D) how genotype and phenotype can interact to produce behaviour.
E) that adopted children are more similar to their adoptive parents than to their biological parents.

Question 13

Which of the following statements is FALSE?

A) If a gene is recessive,the trait will be present even if only one of the parents has the gene
B) Monozygotic twins are more similar than dizygotic twins
C) Phenotype is the observable expression of genotype
D) The DNA portion of the chromosome carries the hereditary blueprint in units called genes
E) One chromosome of every pair originates from each biological parent

Question 14

Consider the research on gender preferences for the ideal mate from the large study (Buss),where 50 scientists administered questionnaires to women and men from 37 cultures around the world.The results of this study found that

A) males rated physical attractiveness as more important than did females.
B) females were not concerned with a male's earning potential.
C) women preferred younger men.
D) age was not a factor for either sex.
E) physical attractiveness was not a factor for either sex.

Question 15

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?

A) humans
B) chimpanzees
C) any group of mammals
D) any group with high parental investment
E) could be either humans or chimps

Question 16

Genetic counselling offers which of the following?

A) Information regarding individual susceptibility to some diseases
B) Support to families facing illnesses
C) Assistance to families with interpreting and understanding the results of genetic testing
D) Advice when planning a pregnancy
E) All of these answers are correct

Question 17

____________ explains that genetics defines the upper and lower limits for a trait (such as height),but that environment contributes where within that range the trait falls (taller or shorter).

A) Reaction range
B) Genetic determinism
C) Kin selection
D) Polygenic range
E) Biologically based range

Question 18

The _____________ is the genetic "blueprint",whereas the __________ is the expression of the genes.

A) phenotype;genotype
B) phenotype;chromosome
C) chromosome;allele
D) genotype;allele
E) genotype;phenotype

Question 19

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?

A) she feels she should help her son because it is expected of her
B) she feels she should contribute to the welfare of the society
C) protection of her offspring is an essential element of the loving bond between mother and child
D) kin selection
E) reciprocal altruism

Question 20

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 polygyny should be the most common mating arrangement if

A) female parental investment is high.
B) male parental investment is low.
C) female parental investment is low.
D) both male and female parental investment is high.
E) female parental investment is high and male parental investment is low.

Question 21

Tony Vernon and his colleagues have reported that there seems to be a genetic basis for attitudes about riding on roller coasters.Most likely,this is due to

A) a roller coaster gene.
B) domain specific adaptation.
C) genes controlling development of the vestibular system and the inner ear.
D) genes controlling the development of intelligence.
E) a selection for the Big Five characteristics.

Question 22

You are observing a new species of primates,the Bolos.You note that they are a very peaceful species and do not engage in much competition for mates.Most likely,their mating system is

A) polyandry.
B) monogamy.
C) polygyny.
D) polygynandry.
E) random.

Question 23

The ideal way to look at genetic contributions to personality traits would be to examine

A) brothers and sisters.
B) parents and their children.
C) reaction ranges.
D) identical and fraternal twins.
E) dominance hierarchies.

Question 24

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

A) high reaction range.
B) high concordance.
C) low heritability.
D) low selection pressure.
E) high collaboration.

Question 25

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

A) female parental investment is high.
B) male parental investment is low.
C) female parental investment is low.
D) both male and female parental investment is high.
E) both male and female parental investment is low.

Question 26

Janvier has blue eyes.His father has brown eyes,but his mother has blue eyes.What do we know for sure about these genotypes?

A) His father had two dominant alleles for eye colour.
B) His father and his mother both contributed a recessive gene to Janvier.
C) His mother is dominant for blue eyes.
D) Janvier had a 75% chance of getting blue eyes.
E) His mother is heterozygous for eye colour-one brown allele and blue allele.

Question 27

Which of the following statements is FALSE?

A) Genetic factors can contribute to political attitudes.
B) Reciprocal altruism can explain some types of helping behaviour.
C) Competition for a mate is an important source of intraspecies aggression.
D) Women tend to prefer younger men as potential mates.
E) Men tend to place more weight on physical attractiveness than women.

Question 28

With respect to brain regions related to dyslexia,the research described in the text points to less activation in the

A) left temporal lobe.
B) left frontal lobe.
C) right temporal lobe.
D) left pre-frontal cortex.
E) motor cortex

Question 29

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

A) evolutionary creation.
B) mutations.
C) domain specific adaptation.
D) natural selection.
E) social Darwinism.