Question 1

What does it mean when one states that humans are members of the same polytypic species?

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Question 2

Describe the various meanings the word race has had since the 1500s.

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Question 3

The risk of genetic defects among the offspring of first-cousin marriages is no higher than that of the general population.

Accepted Answer

The risk of genetic defects among the offspring of first-cousin marriages is higher than that of the general population due to the increased likelihood of both parents carrying the same harmful recessive genes.

Question 4

The term ethnicity was originally proposed in order to avoid the emotional baggage associated with the term race .

Accepted Answer

The term "ethnicity" was indeed introduced as a more neutral and inclusive way to discuss cultural and identity differences among groups, aiming to avoid the negative connotations and biological implications often associated with the term "race."

Question 5

What polymorphisms exist at the DNA level?

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Question 6

Contrast the concept of race as it is currently employed with racism.

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Question 7

Evidence has suggested a simple dominant mode of inheritance for lactase persistence in adults.

Accepted Answer

Lactase persistence in adults is primarily governed by a dominant genetic variant, meaning that inheriting the trait from just one parent is enough to express lactase persistence, which allows for the digestion of lactose in adulthood.

Question 8

Biocultural evolution influences the ways in which humans adapt to environmental challenges.

Accepted Answer

Biocultural evolution refers to the interplay between biological and cultural factors that shape human adaptation to environmental challenges, influencing both genetic evolution and cultural practices.

Question 9

Single nucleotide changes or point mutations never occur in non-protein-coding portions of DNA.

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Question 10

Explain the concept of biological determinism and how it can lead to such things as slavery and eugenics.

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Question 11

Breeding isolates are groups that are clearly separated geographically and/or socially from other breeding groups.

Accepted Answer

Breeding isolates are indeed groups that are separated from others, either by geographical barriers or by social behaviors, preventing them from interbreeding with other groups.

Question 12

The term race currently has only biological connotations and is without any social significance.

Accepted Answer

The concept of race is widely recognized as a social construct with significant social implications, rather than being solely based on biological differences.

Question 13

John Blumenbach was the first European scientist to classify humans into races.

Accepted Answer

François Bernier, a French physician, is often credited with being the first to classify humans into races in the 17th century, predating Johann Friedrich Blumenbach's work in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

Question 14

A genetic trait is considered a polymorphism if the locus governing that trait has two or more alleles.

Accepted Answer

A genetic polymorphism refers to the occurrence of two or more distinct alleles at a given locus in a population's chromosome, where the least frequent allele has a frequency of about 1% or more among the population.

Question 15

If the expected frequencies of genotypes calculated from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium formula do NOT differ significantly from those measured in the population being studied, then evolution is clearly occurring.

Accepted Answer

The Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium provides a mathematical model for understanding the genetic structure of a non-evolving population. If observed frequencies match the expected frequencies under this model, it suggests that the population may not be evolving with respect to the gene in question, assuming no other evolutionary forces are at play.

Question 16

Lactose intolerance, which involves an individual's ability to digest milk, is another example of human biocultural evolution.

Accepted Answer

Lactose intolerance and the ability to digest milk into adulthood (lactase persistence) illustrate biocultural evolution, where genetic changes in human populations occur in response to cultural practices, such as dairy farming.

Question 17

Forensic anthropologists must deal with the race concept because they are asked by law enforcement agencies to identify an individual's race from skeletal remains.

Accepted Answer

Forensic anthropologists are often required to estimate ancestry (which is commonly equated with the social construct of race) from skeletal remains as part of the process to identify unknown individuals in a legal context. This is because certain skeletal features can be more common in populations from specific geographical regions, aiding in the identification process.

Question 18

Francis Galton, Darwin's cousin, originated the eugenics approach to "race improvement."

Accepted Answer

Francis Galton, a cousin of Charles Darwin, indeed originated the concept of eugenics, which he proposed as a method for improving human populations by means of selective breeding, often focusing on traits he associated with "race improvement."

Question 19

The ABO alleles have no variance among humans.

Accepted Answer

The ABO blood group system has multiple alleles, such as A, B, and O, which vary among humans and are responsible for the different blood types.

Question 20

Inbreeding is a form of random mating.

Accepted Answer

Inbreeding is a form of non-random mating where closely related individuals are more likely to mate with each other than with individuals from the general population, leading to an increase in homozygosity.

Quiz 14: Modern Human Biology: Patterns of Variation