Which of the following explanations is MOST likely to be used by an evolutionary psychologist to explain gender differences in spatial abilities?
A)The principles of natural selection tend to operate differently in males and females.
B)Through evolution, males were classically conditioned to develop certain kinds of spatial abilities.
C)When they are young, males are more likely than females to be encouraged to engage in spatially-oriented activities.
D)Division of labor between the sexes in hunting and gathering societies created different adaptive pressures for males and females.

Question

Which of the following explanations is MOST likely to be used by an evolutionary psychologist to explain gender differences in spatial abilities? ​
A)The principles of natural selection tend to operate differently in males and females. ​
B)Through evolution, males were classically conditioned to develop certain kinds of spatial abilities.
C)When they are young, males are more likely than females to be encouraged to engage in spatially-oriented activities.
D)Division of labor between the sexes in hunting and gathering societies created different adaptive pressures for males and females.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Evolutionary psychology often explains differences in male and female abilities through the lens of adaptive pressures in prehistoric environments. The division of labor, where males typically engaged in hunting (requiring navigation and thus spatial skills) and females in gathering, would have created different evolutionary pressures on spatial abilities between the sexes.

Which of the Following Explanations Is MOST Likely to Be