Question 1

When individuals select and modify their environments in ways that impact the development of future generations, a process of ____________ is said to occur.

Accepted Answer

The answer of When individuals select and modify their environments...

Question 2

Developmentalists estimate genetic influences by conducting what kind of study?

Accepted Answer

Kinship studies, such as twin studies or adoption studies, are used to estimate genetic influences by comparing the similarities between individuals with varying degrees of genetic relatedness.

Question 3

More precise estimates of genetic and environmental contributions to individual differences are generally derived from ____________ studies rather than from ____________ studies.

Accepted Answer

Twin studies allow researchers to compare the similarities between identical twins, who share nearly all their genes, and fraternal twins, who share about half, providing clearer insights into genetic versus environmental influences.

Question 4

A study in which groups of monozygotic and dizygotic twins of the same sex are compared to each other and to other family members for similarity on a specific trait is called a(n):

Accepted Answer

A twin study compares monozygotic and dizygotic twins to assess the genetic and environmental influences on a specific trait.

Question 5

Which of the following is NOT a concern when interpreting kinship studies?

Accepted Answer

Adoptive parents typically have access to some information about the social and genetic backgrounds of the children they are raising, making this less of a concern compared to the other options.

Question 6

The purpose of an adoption study is to find out if adopted children are more similar to their biological parents and siblings, who share ____________, or to their adoptive parents and siblings, with whom they share ____________.

Accepted Answer

Adoption studies aim to determine the influence of genetics versus environment by comparing adopted children to their biological and adoptive families. Biological families share genes, while adoptive families share a common environment.

Question 7

Certain species-typical characteristics of humans may be restricted to a narrow range, despite wide variations in environmental conditions. An example of this type of characteristic includes the capacity for children to acquire language, which is itself an example of a(n) ____________ process.

Accepted Answer

Canalized processes are those that are robust to environmental variations, ensuring that certain traits develop similarly across different environments, like language acquisition in children.

Question 8

The role of cultural factors in determining which phenotypes are adaptive is referred to as:

Accepted Answer

The Baldwin effect refers to the role of cultural factors in determining which phenotypes are adaptive.

Question 9

Developmentalists' increasing appreciation of children's contribution to their own development is reflected in the concept of:

Accepted Answer

Niche construction refers to the process by which children actively shape and modify their own environments, thereby influencing their own development. This concept highlights the role of children as active contributors to their developmental processes.

Question 10

According to the concept of coevolution:

Accepted Answer

Coevolution refers to the process where two or more aspects, such as human biology and culture, influence each other's evolution. Human culture has played a significant role in shaping biological evolution, such as dietary changes affecting digestive enzymes.

Question 11

What percentage of genes do monozygotic twins share?

Accepted Answer

Monozygotic twins, also known as identical twins, originate from a single fertilized egg that splits into two, resulting in both individuals having the same genetic material, thus sharing 100% of their genes.

Question 12

Traits that are resistant to the influence of environmental conditions are ____________, whereas traits that are responsive to environmental conditions are _______.

Accepted Answer

Traits that are resistant to the influence of environmental conditions are canalized, whereas traits that are responsive to environmental conditions are plastic.

Question 13

What percentage of genes does a woman share with her biological son?

Accepted Answer

A woman shares 50% of her genes with her biological son, as he inherits half of his genetic material from his mother and half from his father.

Question 14

One of the better methods used to obtain precise estimates of genetic and environmental contributions to individual differences is the twin study, in which monozygotic twins and dizygotic twins of the same sex are compared to each other and to family members for:

Accepted Answer

Twin studies compare similarities on any given trait to estimate genetic and environmental contributions to individual differences.

Question 15

Dr. Claire is conducting a study that focuses on children who have been reared apart from their biological parents. What kind of study is this?

Accepted Answer

An adoption study examines individuals who have been adopted and raised apart from their biological parents to understand the influence of genetics versus environment.

Question 16

The term ____________ refers to the degree to which variations in a particular characteristic among individuals in a specific population are related to genetic differences among those individuals.

Accepted Answer

Heritability refers to the degree to which variations in a particular characteristic among individuals in a specific population are related to genetic differences among those individuals.

Question 17

The shaping of environments through interactions between children and their caregivers, siblings, neighbors, and friends is called:

Accepted Answer

Co-construction refers to the process where children and their social partners, such as caregivers and peers, actively shape and influence their environments through their interactions.

Question 18

If we know that a particular characteristic, such as height, is highly heritable for individuals in a specific population, we also know that:

Accepted Answer

Heritability refers to the proportion of variation in a trait that can be attributed to genetic differences within a specific population. It does not imply that the trait is not influenced by environmental factors or that specific genes have been identified.

Question 19

A canalized characteristic is:

Accepted Answer

A canalized characteristic is one that shows little variation across different environments, meaning it is not easily affected by variations in the environment.

Question 20

Dr. Jones is comparing members of the same family, specifically cousins, to determine how similar they are on a specific trait. Which type of study is this?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Dr. Jones is comparing members of the...

Quiz 2: Biocultural Foundations