Deck 3: Exstintion: Genes,evolution,and Environment

Question 1

Edward L.Thorndike,one of the leading psychologists of the early 1900s,claimed that in the actual race of life,the chief determining factor is:

A)operant conditioning.
B)classical conditioning.
C)parent-child relationships.
D)heredity.

Answer 1

heredity.

Question 2

The basic unit of heredity is the:

A)chromosome.
B)gene.
C)protein molecule.
D)genome.

Answer 2

gene.

Question 3

The A,T,C,and G molecules in DNA code for the synthesis of:

A)genes.
B)amino acids.
C)RNA.
D)proteins.

Answer 3

proteins.

Question 4

Studies that look for patterns of inheritance of genetic markers in large families in which a particular condition is common are called:

A)experimental studies.
B)psychometric studies.
C)linkage studies.
D)naturalistic observation studies.

Question 5

________ are DNA segments that vary considerably among individuals and whose locations on the chromosome are already known.

A)Genes
B)RNA
C)Linkage studies
D)Genetic markers

Question 6

Prof.Sandoval emphasizes the evolutionary mechanisms that might help explain commonalities in human behavior.She is most likely to consider herself:

A)a cognitive psychologist.
B)an evolutionary psychologist.
C)a social Darwinist.
D)a sociocultural psychologist.

Question 7

The four basic chemical elements of DNA are identified by the letters:

A)A,B,C,D.
B)A,T,C,G.
C)B,D,G,T.
D)W,X,Y,Z.

Question 8

This type of DNA lies outside the genes and is also called junk DNA.

A)perimeter DNA
B)outlying DNA
C)noncoding DNA
D)genome DNA

Question 9

Within every cell are rod-shared structures called _______________ that carry the genes.

A)DNA
B)genetic markers
C)genomes
D)chromosomes

Question 10

The human genome is estimated to contain about _______________ genes.

A)7,000
B)23,000
C)73,000
D)303,000

Question 11

The functional units of heredity that are composed of DNA and specify the structure of proteins are called:

A)genomes.
B)neural networks.
C)genes.
D)genetic markers.

Question 12

_______________ is an interdisciplinary field of study concerned with the genetic bases of individual differences in behavior and personality.

A)Behavioral genetics
B)Social Darwinism
C)Behaviorism
D)Functionalism

Question 13

_______________,the basic units of heredity,are located on chromosomes,rod-shaped structures found in the nucleus of every cell of the body.

A)Genomes
B)Neural networks
C)Genes
D)Genetic markers

Question 14

The chromosomal molecule,_______________,transfers genetic characteristics by way of coded instructions for the structure of proteins.

A)DNA
B)genetic marker
C)genome
D)genetic landmark

Question 15

Each human chromosome has:

A)23 pairs of genes.
B)23 genes.
C)about 100 genes.
D)thousands of genes.

Question 16

John B.Watson would agree that:

A)experience could write virtually any message on the blank slate of human nature.
B)an impulse for young mammals to play and fool around may be biologically adaptive.
C)just as a bird is designed to fly,human beings are designed to use language.
D)men are genetically wired to be promiscuous and women to be monogamous.

Question 17

With regard to the interaction between genes and experience:

A)genes can affect the experiences we have,but experience cannot affect genes.
B)experience can affect genes,but genes cannot affect experience.
C)both genes and experience can affect each other.
D)the effects of genes and experience are independent.

Question 18

_______________,the basic units of heredity,are located on_______________,rod-shaped structures found in the nucleus of every cell of the body.

A)Genomes; genes
B)Chromosomes; genomes
C)Genes; chromosomes
D)Chromosomes; genes

Question 19

For many years,psychologists addressing questions about human differences tended to fall into two camps.Those who emphasized the role of genes in human diversity were called:

A)empiricists.
B)behaviorists.
C)nativists.
D)psychoanalysts.

Question 20

Which of the following best describes the position of most psychologists today on the nature-nurture issue?

A)Nature and nurture interact to produce both our psychological and physical traits.
B)Nature is more important in producing our physical traits,whereas nurture is more important in producing our psychological traits.
C)Nature produces our physical traits,whereas our psychological traits are produced by an interaction of nature and nurture.
D)Some of our psychological traits are produced primarily by nature and some primarily by nurture,but nature is most important in producing our physical traits.

Question 21

Many evolutionary psychologists believe that people are born with mental modules for all of the following basic cognitive skills EXCEPT:

A)recognizing faces.
B)acquiring language.
C)understanding numbers.
D)basic computational skills.

Question 22

Which is the best statement of the principle of natural selection?

A)A species constantly improves as parents pass along their best traits to their offspring.
B)Over time,the environment naturally selects some traits over others.
C)Over time,genetic variations become more common if they are adaptive in a particular environment.
D)If a trait or characteristic is no longer adaptive,then the environment will select better,more adaptive traits.

Question 23

Over the past 150 years,Darwin's ideas have been:

A)vehemently rejected by findings in anthropology,botany,and molecular genetics.
B)resoundingly supported by findings in anthropology,botany,and molecular genetics.
C)rejected by findings in anthropology but accepted among botanists and molecular geneticists.
D)accepted as interesting on a historical basis,but irrelevant to current theories.

Question 24

An example of a characteristic that is either present at birth in all humans or develops rapidly during maturation would be:

A)a preference for familiar objects.
B)a natural inclination toward critical thinking.
C)an understanding of numbers.
D)an inclination toward human resilience and joy.

Question 25

In the year ________,an international collaboration of researchers called the Human Genome Project and a private company,Celera Genomics,both announced that they had completed a rough draft of a map of the entire human genome.

A)1985
B)1990
C)1995
D)2000

Question 26

Because of the way our species evolved,many tendencies are either present at birth in all humans or develop rapidly during maturation.An example of one of these tendencies would be:

A)a preference for familiar objects.
B)a natural inclination toward critical thinking.
C)an attraction to novelty.
D)an inclination toward human resilience and joy.

Question 27

Which of the following best describes the relationship between genes and traits?

A)Physical traits are usually determined by a single gene pair,whereas psychological traits are usually determined by multiple genes.
B)Psychological traits are usually determined by a single gene pair,whereas physical traits are usually determined by multiple genes.
C)Both physical and psychological traits are usually determined by multiple genes.
D)Both physical and psychological traits are usually determined by a single gene.

Question 28

New characteristics can result from all of the following EXCEPT:

A)spontaneous genetic mutations.
B)crossover of genetic material between members of a chromosome pair.
C)addition of new amino acids to the DNA molecule.
D)recombination of genetic material.

Question 29

According to the principle of _______________,the fate of genetic variations depends on the environment.

A)natural selection
B)sociobiology
C)linkage
D)genetic markers

Question 30

Linkage studies are used to help determine:

A)where a gene for a particular trait is likely to be located.
B)whether people sharing the same trait have a genetic marker for that trait.
C)a map of the human genome.
D)where the boundaries between individual genes are located.

Question 31

Which of the following traits would be LEAST likely to be "selected" by natural selection?

A)a trait that makes an animal more attractive to the opposite sex
B)a trait that causes progressive hair loss with age
C)a trait that allows an animal to better remember where food sources are located
D)a trait that increases an animal's strength and speed allowing it to better escape from predators

Question 32

Evolution is defined as:

A)an interdisciplinary field of study concerned with the genetic bases of individual differences in behavior and personality.
B)a process in which individuals with genetically influenced traits that are adaptive in a particular environment tend to survive and reproduce.
C)a change in gene frequencies within a population over many generations.
D)an interdisciplinary field that emphasizes genetic explanations of social behavior in animals,including human beings.

Question 33

The central distinction between human language and other communication systems is that language:

A)is spoken.
B)allows for the generation of an infinite number of new utterances.
C)is learned through explicit training by parents.
D)expresses meaning directly through its surface structure.

Question 34

Which of the following is NOT an innate human characteristic?

A)an interest in novelty
B)an impulse to play
C)a preference for constancy
D)a desire to explore and manipulate objects

Question 35

An aspect of language that is unique to humans is:

A)the ability to communicate using sounds.
B)the ability to communicate using gestures.
C)the ability to create unlimited,unique sentences.
D)the ability to understand the meaning of sounds produced by others.

Question 36

Evolutionary psychologists usually start their research by asking:

A)What traits do modern humans have that early humans did not possess?
B)What sort of challenges to survival did prehistoric humans face?
C)What characteristics do modern humans have and how might those characteristics have evolved?
D)What kinds of differences are there between modern humans living in different areas of the world?

Question 37

_______________ is defined as a system that combines meaningless elements such as sounds or gestures to form structured utterances that convey meaning.

A)Communication
B)Universal grammar
C)Language
D)Deep structure

Question 38

According to Charles Darwin,language:

A)evolves by probability decisions that one word is likely to follow another.
B)is an innate capacity for verbal communication.
C)is a communication system used by primates.
D)is an instinctive ability unique to human beings.

Question 39

Evolutionary psychologists believe that the human mind is:

A)a general-purpose computer that can be programmed to do many different things.
B)a collection of independent mental modules specialized to solve specific survival problems.
C)a collection of instincts related to specific human activities and capacities.
D)a computer that is being used to solve problems that it was not programmed to solve.

Question 40

Which of the following is NOT part of the human biological heritage?

A)a love of play
B)an avoidance of unfamiliar objects
C)an ability to recognize faces
D)a sucking reflex at birth

Question 41

Most psychologists would agree that the evolutionary history of our species accounts for our:

A)engagement in warfare.
B)preference for sweet tastes.
C)willingness to help others.
D)sexual strategies.

Question 42

Psycholinguists have found evidence for all of the following EXCEPT:

A)children combine words in ways that adults never would.
B)adults consistently correct their children's syntax.
C)children in different cultures go through similar stages of linguistic development.
D)children not exposed to adult language may invent a language of their own.

Question 43

According to Chomsky,the deep structure of a sentence refers to:

A)the way a sentence is actually spoken or signed.
B)the intonation used as a sentence is spoken.
C)the way a sentence is to be understood.
D)the gestures used when speaking a sentence.

Question 44

Which of the following would NOT support the views of sociobiologists?

A)Males are more likely than females to be promiscuous.
B)Males are more likely than females to engage in frequent sex.
C)Sexual practices of males are highly varied around the world.
D)Males are more likely than females to be undiscriminating in their choice of sexual partners.

Question 45

According to Chomsky,children are born _______________,that is,their brains are sensitive to the core features common to all languages,such as nouns and verbs,subjects and objects,and negatives.

A)able to calculate statistical patterns among words
B)with neural networks
C)understanding deep structure
D)with a universal grammar

Question 46

To transform surface structure into deep structure,children must:

A)attend to the semantic meanings of the words.
B)apply rules of grammar.
C)note the gestures used by the speaker.
D)listen for cues based on intonation and pitch.

Question 47

When she is teaching a class on "Our Human Heritage," Prof.Shelbourne,a sociobiologist,is likely to contend that:

A)evolution has bred into each of us a tendency to act in ways that maximize our chances of passing on our genes.
B)evolution can explain simple behaviors,such as smiling or recognizing emotions,but it cannot account for complex social customs,such as altruism.
C)it is simplistic and misleading for researchers to study nonhuman species and argue by analogy that humans have characteristics with similar evolutionary origins.
D)explanations of infidelity and monogamy are based on stereotypes of gender differences,not the actual behavior of human beings.

Question 48

Sociobiology refers to:

A)the belief that human social and sexual practices are innate.
B)the belief that human social and sexual practices are too unique and varied to be due to evolutionary factors.
C)the belief that although biology determines many human characteristics,social behaviors result from the effects of culture.
D)the belief that biological principles can be applied to social and sexual customs in both nonhuman animals and humans.

Question 49

All of these findings support an innate ability to acquire language EXCEPT:

A)children combine words in ways that adults never would.
B)parents assist language development by expanding children's clumsy sentences.
C)children of different cultures go through similar stages of language development.
D)young children derive simple linguistic rules from a string of sounds.

Question 50

According to Chomsky,the surface structure of a sentence refers to:

A)the way a sentence is actually spoken or signed.
B)the intonation used as a sentence is spoken.
C)the way a sentence is to be understood.
D)the gestures used when speaking a sentence.

Question 51

Evolutionary psychologists and sociobiologists would agree that:

A)the study of nonhuman species is an effective method in exploring the evolution of human characteristics.
B)human males and females differ in their sexual strategies and practices.
C)the study of human dating and mating practices around the world is the most effective method in exploring sexual strategies.
D)the sexual behavior of the female does not seem to depend on the goal of fertilization because pregnant females continue to have sex.

Question 52

Which of the following would an evolutionary psychologist expect to be more typical of females than of males?

A)promiscuity
B)choosiness about sexual partners
C)concern with dominance
D)emphasis on physical attractiveness of partners

Question 53

According to sociobiologists,males:

A)need to shop for the best genetic deal.
B)are choosy in their choice of sexual partners.
C)seek secure,stable relationships to ensure the fidelity of females.
D)are promiscuous and drawn to sexual novelty.

Question 54

Which of the following is NOT true?

A)A single surface structure can be associated with more than one deep structure.
B)A single deep structure can be represented by more than one surface structure.
C)A single surface structure corresponds to one,and only one,deep structure.
D)The rules of grammar are used to transform surface structure to deep structure.

Question 55

According to sociobiologists,females:

A)need to shop for the best genetic deal.
B)compete with other females for access to young males.
C)want sex more often than males do.
D)are promiscuous and drawn to sexual novelty.

Question 56

_______________ is an interdisciplinary field that emphasizes evolutionary explanations of social behavior in animals,including human beings.

A)Evolutionary psychology
B)Sociobiology
C)Behavioral genetics
D)Eugenics

Question 57

Infants as young as _______________ can derive simple linguistic rules from a string of sounds.

A)6 weeks
B)3 months
C)5 months
D)7 months

Question 58

Theorists have designed these mathematical modes of the brain that can "learn" some aspects of language:

A)language acquisition devise
B)computer neural networks
C)grammar generation devise
D)personal grammar devise

Question 59

Prof.Chung has designed a computer model to determine how children might be able to acquire linguistic features without an inborn language acquisition device.She is likely to view infants as:

A)grammarians.
B)lexicologists.
C)psycholinguists.
D)statisticians.

Question 60

Sociobiologists suggest that humans behave in ways that will:

A)optimize the chance of passing on their genes at the expense of the genes of their relatives.
B)maximize the propagation of their genes and those of their relatives.
C)optimize the chances for males,but not for females,to propagate their genes.
D)maximize the survival of the fittest members of the community in which they live.

Question 61

All of the following methods are used in assessing heritability EXCEPT:

A)the study of families where most members share a particular trait.
B)the comparison of adopted children to their biological and their adoptive parents.
C)the comparison of identical twins with same-sex fraternal twins.
D)the study of identical twins separated shortly after birth and reared apart.

Question 62

Evolutionary psychologists expect all of the following characteristics to be more typical of males than females EXCEPT:

A)promiscuity.
B)choosiness about sexual partners.
C)concern with dominance.
D)emphasis on physical attractiveness.

Question 63

A major problem with genetic explanations of racial differences in IQ is that:

A)although intelligence differs between groups,it does not differ within groups.
B)heritability estimates used in supporting genetic explanations of group differences are based mainly on white samples.
C)the studies supporting a genetic explanation typically use black and white children from comparable socioeconomic groups.
D)genetic explanations are based on linkage studies.

Question 64

Heritability is defined as:

A)an interdisciplinary field of study concerned with the genetic bases of individual differences in behavior and personality.
B)a process in which individuals with genetically influenced traits that are adaptive in a particular environment tend to survive and reproduce.
C)a statistical estimate of the proportion of the total variance in some trait that is attributable to genetic differences among individuals within a group.
D)a statistical estimate of the proportion of the total variance in some trait that is attributable to environment.

Question 65

On average,behavioral-genetic studies estimate the heritability of intelligence to be about _______________ for children and adolescents.

A).20 -.30
B).40 - .50
C).60 - .80
D).80 - 1.00

Question 66

Which of the following statements is FALSE?

A)The average IQ score for each age group is arbitrarily set at 100.
B)Two-thirds of all IQ test-takers score between 95 and 105.
C)The distribution of IQ scores approximates a bell-shaped curve.
D)Very high or very low IQ scores are rare.

Question 67

_______________ develop when a fertilized egg divides into two parts that develop into separate embryos.

A)Monozygotic twins
B)Fraternal twins
C)Dizygotic twins
D)Wombmates

Question 68

Which of the following is true with regard to the heritability of intelligence?

A)Heritability estimates are higher for children than for adults.
B)Heritability estimates increase with age up to at least late middle age.
C)Heritability estimates differ for males and females.
D)Regardless of age,heritability estimates for intelligence range from .75 to .90.

Question 69

Which of the following statements is FALSE?

A)It is impossible to know just how a particular individual's genes and personal history have interacted to produce him or her.
B)The most effective approach to estimate the heritability of a trait or behavior is to compare blood relatives within families.
C)Adopted children are studied because they share an environment with their adoptive parents and siblings,but do not share their genes.
D)The heritability of a trait can be estimated by comparing groups of same-sex fraternal twins with groups of identical twins.

Question 70

Which of the following is NOT one of the important facts about heritability?

A)Estimates of heritability apply to variations within a group regardless of environment.
B)Estimates apply only to a particular group living in a particular place.
C)Estimates do not apply to individuals,but only to variations within a group.
D)Even when a trait is highly heritable,it can still be modified by the environment.

Question 71

Critics of sociobiology present all of the following arguments EXCEPT:

A)evolutionary explanations of sexual behavior ignore the variability of human sexual practices.
B)in some species,males are monogamous and,in other species,females are promiscuous.
C)in surveys of humans,both males and females rank qualities like kindness and intelligence as highly important in selection of a mate.
D)in the majority of world cultures,males are more likely to be promiscuous and undiscriminating in selection of a sexual partner compared to females.

Question 72

Which of the following is NOT true with regard to biological and genetic factors and intelligence?

A)The volume of gray matter in the brain is correlated with intelligence.
B)The IQ of adopted children correlates more highly with their biological parents than their adoptive parents.
C)Monozygotic twins raised apart are more similar to each other in IQ than dizygotic twins raised together.
D)Scores of dizygotic twins are more highly correlated with each other than those of monozygotic twins.

Question 73

The strongest predictors today of the mates people actually choose are:

A)similarity and proximity.
B)physical characteristics and facial attractiveness.
C)intelligence and physical characteristics.
D)proximity and facial attractiveness.

Question 74

The kind of intelligence that produces high IQ scores is:

A)moderately to highly heritable.
B)more heritable in children than adults.
C)only slightly heritable.
D)not heritable at all.

Question 75

Behavioral-genetic studies have shown that:

A)for children and adolescents,heritability estimates average around .75; that is,about three-quarters of the variance in IQ scores is explainable by genetic differences.
B)for adults,heritability estimates average around .45 to .50; that is,about half of the variance in IQ scores is explainable by genetic differences.
C)the scores of fraternal twins reared together are more highly correlated than the scores of identical twins reared apart.
D)as adopted children grow into adulthood,the correlation between their IQ scores and those of their biologically unrelated family members diminishes to zero.

Question 76

_______________ is defined as a statistical estimate of the proportion of the total variance in some trait that is attributable to genetic differences among individuals within a group.

A)The inheritance quotient
B)Heritability
C)Factor analysis
D)The nature-nurture argument

Question 77

An intelligence quotient is a/an

A)midpoint in a set of intelligence test scores that is computed after the scores are ordered from the highest to the lowest.
B)measure of the variability of intelligence test scores that is computed by taking every score in the distribution and determining how much it differs from the mean.
C)statistical estimate of the proportion of the total variance in intelligence that is attributable to genetic differences among individuals within a group.
D)measure of intelligence originally computed by dividing a person's mental age by his or her chronological age and multiplying the result by 100.

Question 78

In a study of 10,000 people in 37 cultures,researchers found evidence that:

A)women,compared to men,are more interested in the physical attractiveness of their partners.
B)women,compared to men,are more sexually jealous and possessive of their partners.
C)men,compared to women,are more likely to emphasize the prospects of a potential mate.
D)men,compared to women,are more interested in the youth of their partners.

Question 79

Evolutionary psychologists have relied heavily on this method to gather data about sexual behavior.

A)case studies
B)naturalistic observation
C)questionnaires
D)laboratory studies

Question 80

Which of the following statements is true about heritability?

A)Heritability allows a person to determine how much of his or her intelligence is determined by genetics.
B)A trait with high heritability generally cannot be modified by experience.
C)If a trait is determined to be highly heritable in one environment,it will be so in all environments.
D)Heritability cannot be directly measured; it must be inferred based on studies of people with a known degree of genetic similarity.