Human civilizations developed practices regarding inheritance before the scientific grounding of the practices had been determined. Which of the following genetic principles provides scientific support for the societal taboo against closely related people having children?
A) Heterozygous loci can mask harmful traits in an individual.
B) Not all harmful dominant alleles can affect reproduction.
C) Recessive disorders are relatively common.
D) A common environment can influence the severity of harmful traits.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Inbreeding increases the likelihood of homozygosity at loci, which can lead to the expression of harmful recessive traits. Heterozygous loci can mask these harmful traits, so avoiding close relatives reduces the risk of recessive disorders manifesting.

Human Civilizations Developed Practices Regarding Inheritance Before the Scientific Grounding