Evolutionary theory would have a difficult time explaining which of the following behaviors?
A) A group of 8-year-old boys pretend to play soldiers at war.
B) A group of 8-year-old girls are playing "house" and pretending to be mommies.
C) A 9-year-old girl thinks using make-up is silly because she is going to be a doctor and doctors don't need make-up in the operating room.
D) A 7-year-old boy tells his mother he wants to grow up to be a daddy and have a wife to take care of.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Evolutionary theory suggests that behaviors are influenced by natural selection and the need to survive and reproduce. However, the behavior of thinking that make-up is silly because one wants to be a doctor does not necessarily have any direct impact on survival or reproduction, and would therefore be difficult to explain solely through evolutionary theory. The other behaviors (playing soldiers or house, wanting to be a daddy) could potentially be explained in terms of socialization and learning within a cultural context.

Evolutionary Theory Would Have a Difficult Time Explaining Which of the Following