Question 1

What explanation might an evolutionary psychologist give for an individual giving a large amount of money to charity?

Accepted Answer

Giving to charity increases our self-esteem, which is an indicator of our social acceptance.

Question 2

The idea that feelings of self-esteem evolved to gauge social acceptance is known as the ________ theory.

Accepted Answer

The sociometer theory proposes that self-esteem evolved as a gauge of social acceptance and rejection, indicating to individuals their degree of belongingness or rejection within their social group.

Question 3

What might be the evolutionary function of crying,according to recent research described in the text?

Accepted Answer

Recent research suggests that the evolutionary function of crying is to elicit social support, as it signals distress and vulnerability, prompting others to offer comfort and assistance.

Question 4

Which of the following describes someone high in sociosexuality?

Accepted Answer

Sociosexuality refers to an individual’s willingness to engage in casual sex without a strong emotional connection. Buying flashy jewelry to attract a mate suggests a behavior that is motivated by the desire to attract sexual partners, indicating a higher level of sociosexuality. Option A suggests adherence to traditional gender roles, which is not indicative of sociosexuality. Option B suggests a more long-term, committed relationship, which is also not consistent with sociosexuality. Option D does not provide any information relevant to sociosexuality.

Question 5

Kara is placing a personal ad in the local paper.According to evolutionary predictions about mate selection,she will most likely mention her ________ when describing herself.

Accepted Answer

According to evolutionary psychology, physical attractiveness is a key factor in mate selection, as people are biologically wired to seek out partners who exhibit traits that indicate fertility and reproductive success. Therefore, it is likely that Kara would mention her physical attractiveness when describing herself in her personal ad.

Question 6

When placing personal ads,women are more likely to specify that they are seeking someone who is ________,whereas men are more likely to specify that they are seeking someone who is ________.

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that women tend to seek men who are slightly older and more financially secure, whereas men tend to seek younger partners who are physically attractive and can potentially bear children. Therefore, women are more likely to specify that they are seeking someone who is older, whereas men are more likely to specify that they are seeking someone who is younger.

Question 7

So far,evolutionary psychology has been much more concerned with the origins of ________ than with ________.

Accepted Answer

Evolutionary psychology has primarily focused on understanding the evolution of general human nature, such as our cognitive abilities, emotions, and behaviors, rather than individual differences in personality traits like extraversion and neuroticism.

Question 8

A woman who mates with an unstable but attractive man seems to follow a different reproductive strategy than most other women.This idea is called ________.

Accepted Answer

The idea of a woman mating with an unstable but attractive man in order to have a son with good genetic qualities even if he inherits his father's instability is called the sexy son hypothesis. This strategy is different from the typical reproductive strategy of finding a stable and reliable mate who can provide resources and support.

Question 9

What term describes the willingness to engage in sexual activities in the absence of a committed relationship?

Accepted Answer

The term that describes the willingness to engage in sexual activities in the absence of a committed relationship is sociosexuality. It refers to individual differences in attitudes, behaviors, and desires related to unrestricted (vs. restricted) sexual experiences. Options A and B (openness to experience and sensation seeking) are related but broader concepts that encompass various aspects of personality and are not specific to sexual behavior. Option D (sociometry) refers to the measurement of social relationships and is not relevant to this question.

Question 10

Kevin is placing a personal ad in the local paper.According to evolutionary predictions about mate selection,he will most likely mention his ________ when describing himself.

Accepted Answer

Evolutionary predictions suggest that men are more likely to emphasize their financial resources as it signals their ability to provide and support, which is often valued by potential mates.

Question 11

Men who score high on ________ are especially accurate when it comes to judging their mate value,whereas women who score high on ________ are especially accurate when it comes to judging their mate value.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Men who score high on ________ are...

Question 12

Across a wide variety of cultures,________ are more likely than ________ to place a higher value on physical attractiveness.

Accepted Answer

Men are generally more likely than women to prioritize physical attractiveness in potential partners across various cultures, as supported by numerous psychological and sociological studies.

Question 13

According to evolutionary theory,a man's greatest worry is that ________.

Accepted Answer

According to evolutionary theory, a man's greatest worry is that he is not the biological father of the children that he is supporting. This is because evolution favors men who invest their resources in their own genetic offspring to ensure the survival of their genes. Men who invest in non-genetic offspring are at a disadvantage because their genes are not being passed on to future generations. Therefore, men have evolved mechanisms to ensure that they are investing in their own offspring, such as jealousy and mate guarding behaviors.

Question 14

Rachel was just dumped by her boyfriend.According to a recent study about types of depression,the particular kind of depression that will most likely follow is characterized by ________.

Accepted Answer

The type of depression that often follows a breakup is characterized by emotional pain, crying, and seeking social support, as these are common emotional responses to the end of a romantic relationship.

Question 15

For both men and women,those who score high on ________ are especially concerned with finding attractive mating partners,whereas women and men who score low on ________ are concerned with traits related to parenting behaviors.

Accepted Answer

Sociosexuality refers to the willingness to engage in sexual activity outside of a committed relationship. Those with high sociosexuality are more focused on finding attractive partners, while those with low sociosexuality prioritize traits related to parenting and long-term relationships.

Question 16

According to evolutionary psychology,which of the following does NOT account for individual differences?

Accepted Answer

The idea that maladaptive traits such as neuroticism ensure that populations are not too large is not supported by evolutionary psychology. In fact, traits that are maladaptive are less likely to be favored by natural selection and passed on to future generations. Evolutionary psychology does account for individual differences through behavioral adaptations to specific environmental experiences, individual differences in behavioral strategies, and frequency dependent behavior.

Question 17

According to evolutionary biology,altruistic behavior might help assure the survival of one's own genes into succeeding generations primarily because ________.

Accepted Answer

Altruistic behavior can increase the likelihood that people who share your genes will survive and reproduce, and therefore some of your genes will be passed on to the next generation. This is known as kin selection and is a mechanism for the evolution of altruistic behavior. Options A, B, and D are not supported by evolutionary biology as explanations for the survival of one's own genes through altruistic behavior.

Question 18

A researcher interested in predicting patterns of helping behavior using the concept of inclusive fitness would want to know ________.

Accepted Answer

Inclusive fitness theory suggests that individuals are more likely to help others who share their genes because helping behavior can increase the reproductive success of those shared genes. Therefore, a researcher interested in predicting patterns of helping behavior using inclusive fitness would want to know how much genetic material is shared between the helper and the recipient of help.

Question 19

The evolutionary explanation of sex differences in mate selection is that ________.

Accepted Answer

The evolutionary explanation of sex differences in mate selection is that men and women seek essentially the same thing; both are trying to increase the likelihood that they will produce viable offspring who will survive. This is based on the understanding that throughout evolutionary history, mating decisions were shaped by the need to pass on one's genes to the next generation. Thus, men and women differ in the traits they value in mates because those traits signal different aspects of reproductive fitness.

Question 20

Harry just lost his job.According to a recent study,the particular kind of depression that will most likely follow is characterized by ________.

Accepted Answer

The study suggests that the particular kind of depression that follows job loss is characterized by fatigue, pessimism, and guilt. This type of depression is largely related to feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness, which can be exacerbated by the stress and anxiety associated with job loss. Option A is not correct, as emotional pain and seeking social support are more likely to be symptoms of general depression. Option B is not correct, as aggression and anger are not typically associated with this type of depression. Option D is not correct, as increased motor activity and sexual dysfunction are associated with other types of depression, such as bipolar disorder or atypical depression.

Quiz 9: The Inheritance of Personality: Behavioral Genetics and Evolutionary Psychology