Chapter 14 Part 1

Question 1

Estimated time that human language evolved

Answer 1

2.5 million years to 50,000 years ago

Question 2

other primates are unable to produce recognizable spoken words because?

Answer 2

they have longer tongues and differently shaped vocal tracts that make it difficult to maneuver and produce the necessary frequencies for speech

Question 3

technical hypothesis

Answer 3

language may have facilitated effective tool making

Question 4

FOXP2 protein

Answer 4

genome linked to human speech capabilities; it is found not only in humans but in chimps, gorillas, frogs, fish, rodents, and songbirds

Question 5

hereditary base for human speech, as evidenced by FOXP2 protein shared genetic variation with Neanderthals, arose when?

Answer 5

300,000-400,000 years ago

Question 6

Damage to Broca’s area leads to a loss of the ability to

Answer 6

speak

Question 7

damage to Wernicke’s area leads to a loss of the ability to

Answer 7

comprehend spoken language

Question 8

For those few individuals with a variant form of FOXP2, functional magnetic resonance images taken reveal abnormalities in what area?

Answer 8

Broca’s area

Question 9

In a research experiment in which participants were shown a film clip with the person in the film saying “ga” but the audio played “ba” the viewer heard what?

Answer 9

“da”

Question 10

At what age do infants begin looking at a parents lips instead of eyes in an effort to learn speech?

Answer 10

6 months; they switch back to looking at the eyes after they begin to speak

Question 11

the neurophysiological basis of lipreading has been traced to what region in the brain

Answer 11

superior temporal sulcus; it becomes active when we move our mouths, hands, and eyes

Question 12

What is an ultimate cause of speech and language in humans?

Answer 12

evolved function of language

Question 13

brain tissue requires how much more energy to maintain as muscle tissue

Answer 13

16x

Question 14

affiliation function hypothesis

Answer 14

human speech, including language dialects, is critical to the formation of social groups

Question 15

sexual selection hypothesis

Answer 15

female choice favors males with exceptional language skills

Question 16

what is the average vocabulary of an adult human

Answer 16

60,000 words

Question 17

sign language has _____ signs and chimpanzees have ____ gestures

Answer 17

more than 9000, fewer than 100

Question 18

women prefer men with what type of features

Answer 18

masculine, such as a prominent chin and strong cheekbones

Question 19

as societies become more developed, greater masculinity in appearance is associated with what

Answer 19

aggression

Question 20

there is a ________ correlation between a woman’s reproductive success and her husband’s wealth (in Africa and Iran)

Answer 20

positive

Question 21

in modern societies, children’s health is _______ correlated with household income

Answer 21

positively

Question 22

poverty is perpetuated among low income families because chronic illness in childhood does what

Answer 22

reduces the earning power of children once reached adulthood

Question 23

criteria for mate choice are _________ for men and women

Answer 23

different; evidence provided by the 20 mate dollars study in which males and females at lower amounts invested differentially among preferred attributes

Question 24

choosing older men for their wealth (something women tend to prefer) may have __________ consequences for women

Answer 24

negative fitness; reproductive success declines with paternal age

Question 25

men in their ______ have the highest “market value”

Answer 25

30s

Question 26

women with relatively high expected incomes place (less, equal, or higher) emphasis on their potential partner’s financial status

Answer 26

higher