The "grandmother hypothesis" suggests that a woman can increase her reproductive fitness by ______.
A) moving away from her children and grandchildren
B) focusing her energy on caring for her grandchildren, instead of on producing more children
C) focusing her energy on the production of as many children as possible before reaching menopause
D) helping her sisters produce more children

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The "grandmother hypothesis" suggests that a woman can increase her reproductive fitness by focusing her energy on caring for her grandchildren, instead of on producing more children. This hypothesis proposes that by helping her grandchildren survive and thrive, a grandmother can indirectly increase the reproductive success of her own children (the parents of those grandchildren) and therefore increase the likelihood that her genes will be passed down to future generations.

The "Grandmother Hypothesis" Suggests That a Woman Can Increase Her