An investigator trying to demonstrate Lamarckian evolution tested rats' ability to learn a swimming maze,and then bred those rats and demonstrated that the next generation learned faster.What was the flaw in this study?
A)The original study had no control group.
B)The original study failed to provide an operational definition of learning.
C)The original study used an unusual strain of rats.
D)The researcher in the original study failed to keep adequate records.

Question

An investigator trying to demonstrate Lamarckian evolution tested rats' ability to learn a swimming maze,and then bred those rats and demonstrated that the next generation learned faster.What was the flaw in this study?​
A)The original study had no control group.
B)​The original study failed to provide an operational definition of learning.
C)​The original study used an unusual strain of rats.
D)​The researcher in the original study failed to keep adequate records.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The flaw in the study is that it had no control group, so it is not possible to determine whether the observed improvement in performance was due to Lamarckian evolution or some other factor like selection bias or chance.

An Investigator Trying to Demonstrate Lamarckian Evolution Tested Rats' Ability