Question 1

According to sociobiologists, it is evolutionarily beneficial for males to:

Accepted Answer

According to sociobiologists, males are evolutionarily wired to seek sexual novelty and be promiscuous in order to increase their chances of passing on their genes to multiple partners. This behavior is thought to have developed as a means of ensuring genetic diversity in offspring and increasing the chances of survival in a changing environment.

Question 2

Heritability is defined as:

Accepted Answer

Heritability is a statistical estimate of the proportion of the total variance in some trait that is attributable to genetic differences among individuals within a group. It does not refer to the genetic bases of individual differences in behavior and personality (A), nor does it refer to the process of natural selection (B) or the proportion of the total variance in a trait that is attributable to environment (D).

Question 3

Which of the following is an important fact about heritability?

Accepted Answer

Heritability estimates are affected by the environment in which the people being studied live. This means that heritability estimates cannot be generalized to other groups and that they may change depending on the environmental factors present in a specific population. Additionally, the fact that heritability estimates are affected by the environment also means that highly heritable traits can still be modified by environmental factors.

Question 4

To gather data about sexual behavior, evolutionary psychologists have relied heavily on:

Accepted Answer

Questionnaires are a common method used by evolutionary psychologists to gather data about sexual behavior. They can be administered anonymously, which may reduce social desirability bias, and can capture a wide range of information about both attitudes and behavior. While case studies and laboratory studies may provide in-depth information about individual or group behavior, they may not generalize to larger populations. Naturalistic observation can be useful in some contexts, but may not be practical or ethical when studying certain aspects of human sexual behavior.

Question 5

Evolutionary psychologists and sociobiologists would be most likely to agree that:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Evolutionary psychologists and sociobiologists would be most...

Question 6

Which among the following arguments do the critics of sociobiology highlight?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which among the following arguments do the...

Question 7

The "Fred Flintstone problem" discussed in your textbook refers to the critique that evolutionary psychologists:

Accepted Answer

The answer of The "Fred Flintstone problem" discussed in your...

Question 8

Which of the following statements is true about heritability?

Accepted Answer

Heritability cannot be directly measured, as it is the degree to which genetic variation accounts for individual differences in a trait within a specific population. Instead, heritability is inferred by comparing the similarity of traits in people with varying degrees of genetic relatedness, such as monozygotic twins versus dizygotic twins or siblings.

Question 9

Convenience samples have often been used to study the sexual attitudes and behaviors of men and women. Which of the following is a problem with this research that is specifically related to this type of sampling method?

Accepted Answer

Convenience samples are not representative of the general population, so the results cannot be generalized to everyone. This includes studies on sexual attitudes and behaviors, where the sample may not be diverse enough to accurately represent the attitudes and behaviors of the entire population.

Question 10

Which of the following statements is true of the various views on evolution and sexual strategies?

Accepted Answer

Evolutionary psychologists believe that culture can modify some of the evolved biological tendencies in humans. This suggests that not all human behavior is solely determined by genetics, and that cultural factors can also influence our sexual strategies. The other answer choices are not accurate representations of the views on evolution and sexual strategies.

Question 11

One way of inferring heritability in humans is by comparing identical twins with:

Accepted Answer

Comparing identical twins (monozygotic) with dizygotic twins allows for a better understanding of heritability because identical twins share 100% of their genetic material while dizygotic twins share an average of 50% of their genetic material, just like other siblings. Therefore, any differences in traits or diseases between the two sets of twins can be attributed to genetic factors.

Question 12

Evolutionary psychologists have found from extensive studies around the world that:

Accepted Answer

Evolutionary psychologists suggest that men are more interested in the youth of their partners because youth is often associated with fertility, which is a key factor in reproductive success.

Question 13

Which of the following is a reason critics challenge the evolutionary views of sex differences in dating and mating?

Accepted Answer

Critics challenge the evolutionary views of sex differences in dating and mating because the behavior of humans often fails to conform to the stereotyped images of sexually promiscuous males and coy females. This means that the behavior of individuals does not always match up with the predictions made by evolutionary theories, and therefore challenges their validity. Option B is incorrect as relying on case studies is not the main reason critics challenge evolutionary views. Option C is incorrect as humans are still influenced by evolutionary pressures, even if their environment has changed. Option D is incorrect as it is still evolutionarily beneficial for males to have as many offspring as possible, as long as those offspring are able to survive and reproduce themselves.

Question 14

Which of the following is true, according to the critics of evolutionary psychology?

Accepted Answer

Critics of evolutionary psychology argue that the survey responses of men and women about sex and mating are often influenced by social desirability bias and may not accurately reflect their actual behavior. They also acknowledge that evolutionary psychologists have relied heavily on data from case studies, which can be limited in their generalizability to larger populations. However, there is no evidence to support the claim that modern humans are not affected by evolutionary pressures, and there have been numerous studies conducted that have identified sex differences in behavior and cognition. Therefore, option A is the best choice as it accurately reflects a common criticism of evolutionary psychology.

Question 15

Which of the following methods is used for assessing heritability?

Accepted Answer

The comparison of identical twins with same-sex fraternal twins is the method used for assessing heritability because identical twins share 100% of their DNA, while same-sex fraternal twins share about 50%. This allows researchers to compare the similarity of traits between the two types of twins and determine how much of the variation is due to genetics versus environment. The other options (A, B, and D) also involve studying genetic similarities between family members, but do not provide as clear of a comparison as the twin study method.

Question 16

Which of the following statements support the critics of evolutionary psychologists?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following statements support the...

Question 17

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

Accepted Answer

Evolutionary theory predicts that females will be more selective about their sexual partners because, due to their higher biological investment in reproduction, they have more to lose from choosing an unsuitable mate. This is also known as the "parental investment theory."

Question 18

_______________ 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.

Accepted Answer

Heritability 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. Therefore, option B is the correct answer. Heredity refers to the transmission of genetic traits from one generation to the next, diversity refers to the variety of different traits or characteristics within a group or population, and expressivity refers to the degree to which a genetic trait is expressed in an individual.

Question 19

According to sociobiologists, it is evolutionarily beneficial for females to:

Accepted Answer

According to sociobiologists, females are evolutionarily programmed to attach themselves to dominant males because they are more likely to provide protection and resources for themselves and their offspring. This increases the chances of their genes being passed down to future generations.

Question 20

Vinay uses data from his study to estimate that the heritability of athletic ability is .60. This implies that about 60%:

Accepted Answer

Heritability estimates represent the proportion of variation in a trait among individuals that can be attributed to genetic differences. In this case, a heritability estimate of .60 means that about 60% of the variation in athletic ability can be attributed to genetic differences among individuals, while the remaining 40% is likely due to environmental factors.

Quiz 3: Genes, Evolution, and Environment