evolution and behavior quiz 1 repeated questions Flashcards
If a given environment is home to a number of similar species, each with a variant of a given trait (e.g., finches with different beaks), what can we infer?
a) The different species must have been separated by a breeding barrier in their past.
b) The organisms are easily prone to mutation.
c) The environment is relatively stable.
d) The similarities across species (e.g., the finches other than their beaks) represent convergent evolution.
e) There must have been human intervention.
a) The different species must have been separated by a breeding barrier in their past.
Mammals receiving new genes from viruses is an example of _______ gene transfer.
a) horizontal
b) vertical
c) diagonal
d) micro-
e) linear
a) horizontal
If a large group of feral dogs is separated into two different environments and the two groups are unable to interbreed for a significant number of generations, we would expect that ______.
a) the two groups would maintain most of their initial similarities
b) the two groups would evolve equally
c) adaptive radiation would occur
d) the most fit group would change the most
e) both groups would change, but in similar ways because of their common origins
c) adaptive radiation would occur
Punctuated equilibrium describes _____.
a) the gradual settling of all populations within an ecological niche
b) the change in a species population due to predation and reproduction
c) the balance between land and water ecosystems
d) periods of relatively slow evolution followed by periods of rapid change
e) the period of time between ice ages
d) periods of relatively slow evolution followed by periods of rapid change
Many traits are ______, which explains why we often observe a gradation of trait expression in a given environment.
a) monogenic
b) polygenic
c) dysfunctional
d) genetically-linked
e) environment-specific
b) polygenic
Evolutionary inertia entails that _______.
a) evolutionary change will slow over time
b) traits will not change unless the environment does
c) rapid evolution in one species means slow evolution in competing species
d) natural selection can only operate on genetic predispositions which already exist
e) there is an upper limit on how many variations of a trait can exist
d) natural selection can only operate on genetic predispositions which already exist
The degree of fit between a species and its environment is determined by ______, _______, and ______.
a) how fast the species evolves, the evolutionary history of the species, and how fast the niche changes
b) how fast the niche changes, artificial selection, the evolutionary history of the species
c) how fast the niche changes, how fast the species evolves, the size of the breeding group
d) the size of breeding group, the evolutionary history of the species, and the number of species competing for the niche
e) artificial selection, the evolutionary history of the species, how fast the niche changes
c) how fast the niche changes, how fast the species evolves, the size of the breeding group
Which of the following is NOT a reason dysfunctional traits are seen in a species?
a) The environment changes across generations.
b) The environment changes within a generation.
c) The trait is monogenetic and dominant, so it is expressed in all individuals, even those with only one predisposed allele.
d) The trait is genetically linked to an advantageous trait.
e) We haven’t yet understood how the trait might be beneficial
c) The trait is monogenetic and dominant, so it is expressed in all individuals, even those with only one predisposed allele.
Which of the following scenarios BEST challenges the view that humans have free will?
a) A demonstration that rats can carefully plan out their activities.
b) A demonstration that a simple organism can exhibit instrumental behavior.
c) A demonstration that our behavior often diverges from our reasoned intentions.
d) A demonstration that humans can learn associations in the absence of self-awareness.
e) A demonstration that other species can learn language.
c) A demonstration that our behavior often diverges from our reasoned intentions.
What is the mechanism by which DNA influences behavior?
a) DNA stores memory information directly.
b) It acts as a type of hormone.
c) It acts as a type of neurotransmitter.
d) It enables RNA to create proteins.
e) It conducts action potentials.
d) It enables RNA to create proteins.
Observing one animal deceiving a conspecific (i.e., member of the same species) infers that ______.
a) empathy is not evolved in that species
b) both animals live in an area of limited resources
c) the first animal will likely pass on its genes
d) the species is capable of inferring mental states of conspecifics
e) the second animal is not fit to its environment
d) the species is capable of inferring mental states of conspecifics
Which of the following research questions can be best characterized as investigating evolutionary history?
a) The fear reaction to snakes in various closely related primates.
b) How a jumping reflex helps a species of mouse avoid predators.
c) Changes to the brain in utero.
d) The influence of hormones on receptiveness to mating rituals.
e) Factors affecting the lifespan of a fruit fly.
a) The fear reaction to snakes in various closely related primates.
An ultimate analysis of animal behavior would closely examine ______.
a) development and survival value
b) survival value and evolutionary history
c) mechanism and evolutionary history
d) mechanism and development
e) mechanism and survival value
b) survival value and evolutionary history
Individual learning can interact with natural selection in that _____.
a) individual learning is passed down through generations
b) natural selection can favor certain learning rules
c) organisms can learn how to evolve
d) organisms can learn which traits are selective
e) organisms can learn which traits are not selective
b) natural selection can favor certain learning rules
The main difference between observational and experimental studies is that _____.
a) experimental studies involve no observation
b) you can only draw causal inferences in observational studies
c) only experimental studies involve manipulation of the relevant variables
d) observational studies must be conducted outside the lab
e) experimental studies always precede theoretical work
c) only experimental studies involve manipulation of the relevant variables
Of the following scenarios, which is least conducive to conditions for natural selection?
a) A sparsely occupied pond with abundant resources.
b) A species of frog with many different variations in traits.
c) Certain beaks in tropical birds being better suited to eating bugs.
d) A foraging behavior in wasps which is heritable.
e) Fish which produce hundreds of eggs.
a) A sparsely occupied pond with abundant resources.
If a trait is shared across two species which do not share a recent common ancestor with the trait, we would refer to that trait as _______.
a) heteroplasic
b) homoplasic
c) a homology
d) heterogamic
e) phylogenic
b) homoplasic
The effect of testosterone on aggression in males illustrates how some hormones influence a behavior by ________ the behavior.
a) dampening
b) canceling
c) triggering
d) priming
e) modifying
d) priming
In the textbook’s discussion of prairie voles, an understanding of how selective pressures favoring paternal care might influence the number of vasopressin receptors in the vole ventral pallidum is an example of _______ guiding analysis at the _________.
a) ultimate perspective; intermediate perspective
b) proximate perspective; intermediate perspective
c) intermediate perspective; ultimate perspective
d) proximate perspective; ultimate perspective
e) ultimate perspective; proximate perspective
e) ultimate perspective; proximate perspective
The _______ system affects behavior within minutes to hours, while the _________ system can affect behavior on the order of seconds.
a) neurobiological; sociobiological
b) sociobiological; endocrinological
c) endocrinological; neurobiological
d) neurobiological; sociobiological
e) endocrinological; neurobiological
c) endocrinological; neurobiological
As a visual stimulus increases in strength, how do we expect the firing of neurons to change?
a) Fewer neurons will fire.
b) The neurons will not change their firing pattern.
c) Different types of neurotransmitters will be released.
d) The neurons will fire faster.
e) The neurons will fire slower.
d) The neurons will fire faster.
What most likely explains the larger hippocampus in non-monogamous male voles?
a) The monogamous and non-monogamous voles have different diets.
b) The non-monogamous male voles are hunted by different sets of predators.
c) Non-monogamous voles are better selected to visit several different females.
d) Hippocampus size increases with the number of sexual encounters.
e) Non-monogamous male voles have to track other male voles (i.e., competition).
c) Non-monogamous voles are better selected to visit several different females.
The Mallard duck’s unihemispheric sleep most likely results from the ______.
a) trait conferring benefits to survival
b) ducks needing to feed at night
c) ducks being unable to sleep properly in groups
d) ducks needing to constantly swim, even when sleeping
e) trait being useful for attracting mates at night
a) trait conferring benefits to survival
A quantitative trait mapping reveals ______.
a) the exact region of the genome responsible for a complex behavior
b) an approximate region of the genome responsible for a complex behavior
c) the exact alleles that affect a polygenic trait
d) how many variants a trait has
e) how many traits are associated with a single gene
b) an approximate region of the genome responsible for a complex behavior
To properly perform a quantitative trait mapping, you require two initial members of a species, which ______.
a) are completely different on some complex trait of interest
b) are exactly the same on some complex trait of interest
c) are slightly different on some complex trait
d) are randomly selected, regardless of expression
e) vary on two different traits
a) are completely different on some complex trait of interest
Narrow-sense heritability can be expressed as the proportion of _____ over ______.
a) variance in experience, variance in genes
b) total variance of the trait, variance in experience
c) total variance of the trait, variance in genes
d) variance in genes, total variance of the trait
e) variance in experience, total variance of the trait
d) variance in genes, total variance of the trait
Divergent evolution describes the process whereby ______.
a) two different species become more genetically similar over time
b) multiple different species evolve from a common ancestor
c) breeding barriers impede evolution
d) different species develop common traits independently
e) different traits develop through artificial selection
b) multiple different species evolve from a common ancestor
An animal’s direct fitness can be measured by ______.
a) the total number of its species
b) the number of offspring it has produced
c) half the offspring it has produced
d) the number of relatives it has
e) the number of offspring it helps to rear, but does not produce
b) the number of offspring it has produced
What happens to an in-utero female rat fetus surrounded by male rat fetuses on both sides?
a) No effect unless the males fight.
b) It becomes more masculine.
c) It becomes genetically male.
d) It becomes more feminine.
e) It becomes more docile.
b) It becomes more masculine.
The vicious circle experiment demonstrates ___________.
a) dysfunctional behavior
b) nonfunctional behavior
c) functional behavior
d) pleiotropic behavior
e) developmental behavior
a) dysfunctional behavior
What is the ultimate reason for mate guarding by males?
a) It is an insult to the male’s pride if his partner mates with another male.
b) Allowing another male to mate with his female threatens his social status.
c) It enhances his dominant status.
d) It increases the probability that the mate’s offspring are his.
e) It protects the mate from attack.
d) It increases the probability that the mate’s offspring are his.
Sickle cell anemia is an example of ________.
a) a sex-linked trait
b) evolution not having a goal
c) a negative byproduct of natural selection
d) evolution caused by a midparent trait
e) phenotype not matching genotype
c) a negative byproduct of natural selection
A strong human desire to consume sweets and fats reflects __________.
a) the evolutionary benefit that is afforded to modern humans when they consume high-calorie foods
b) gluttony
c) an inverse connection between the olfactory/gustatory sensory circuits and reward circuits in the brain
d) benefits afforded to ancestral humans consuming high-calorie foods
e) the dietary wisdom of the body in caloric intake
d) benefits afforded to ancestral humans consuming high-calorie foods
_______ traits are selected against _______.
a) Detrimental dominant; slowly
b) Beneficial recessive; quickly
c) Detrimental dominant; quickly
d) Detrimental recessive; quickly
e) Beneficial dominant; slowly
c) Detrimental dominant; quickly
2) Cultural transmission permits the ______ transmission of information _____ generation(s)
a) rapid, within a
b) rapid, across
c) slow, within a
d) slow, across
e) moderately paced, within a
b) rapid, across
3) As demonstrated by common mole rats, when is xenophobia more present in social groups?
a) When resources are abundant
b) When resources are scarce
c) During the mating season within a species
d) When breeding barriers exist
e) When social hierarchies are established
b) When resources are scarce
Evolution operates via the selection of ______.
a) cultures
b) species
c) genes
d) ecological niches
e) traits
e) traits
A proximate analysis of animal behavior would closely examine ______ and _____.
a) mechanism; development
b) mechanism; survival value
c) development; evolutionary history
d) development; survival value
e) survival value; evolutionary history
a) mechanism; development
Which of the following principles concerning animal behavior is most universal across different species?
a) Males compete among themselves for female mates within a species
b) Behavior facilitates an animal getting its genes into the next generation
c) Offspring are raised by both parents
d) Behavior enables animals to live long lifespans
e) All species are generalists
b) Behavior facilitates an animal getting its genes into the next generation
What is divergent evolution?
a) The evolution of different traits in different species
b) The evolution of new traits that are different from those of other species
c) The evolution of different traits in different species in response to the same environment
d) The evolution of different traits in similar species
e) The evolution of different populations within a species into different species
e) The evolution of different populations within a species into different species
There is evidence that people with sickle cell anemia (recessive genetic condition that adversely affects red blood cells) and carriers of sickle cell anemia are partially protected against malaria. This is an example of ______.
a) polygenicity
b) mutagenesis
c) pleiotropy
d) indirect fitness
e) direct fitness
c) pleiotropy
Which of the following is absolutely necessary for evolution to occur?
a) Changes in the environment
b) The heritability of genes
c) Sexual reproduction
d) High genetic variability
e) High rates of genetic mutations
b) The heritability of genes
What is a homology?
a) A trait shared within a species because the members of the species have a common ancestor.
b) A trait shared by two or more species because they have a common ancestor.
c) A trait shared by two or more species because they do not have a common ancestor.
d) Traits that are passed down from parent to offspring.
e) Species that evolved due to being separated by a barrier.
b) A trait shared by two or more species because they have a common ancestor.
The wings of birds, mammals (bats), and insects are an example of ______.
a) divergent evolution.
b) polarity
c) pleiotropy
d) homology
e) homoplasy
e) homoplasy
Which of the following properties is shared by proteins and steroid hormones?
a) Both can be stored in cells.
b) Both can be quickly released into the bloodstream.
c) Both can have differing effects on target cells depending on the type of cell.
d) Both are constructed from small strings of amino acids dictated by DNA.
e) Both are soluble in both blood and water.
c) Both can have differing effects on target cells depending on the type of cell.
Female gerbils that are surrounded by two other male gerbils in utero are more likely to ______.
a) begin reproducing earlier in life
b) breed with more males
c) have lower testosterone levels
d) have higher testosterone levels
e) give birth to male offspring
d) have higher testosterone levels
Which of the following is the BEST example of cultural transmission?
a) A lemur learning which fruits are the tastiest by trial and error
b) Male peacocks growing longer tail feather over successive generations to better attract females
c) An orangutan learning how to use a stick to fish for termites by watching another orangutan
d) The play behavior of puppies who were born in the same litter
e) The duration of time a mother lion provides parental care to her cubs before letting them fend for themselves
c) An orangutan learning how to use a stick to fish for termites by watching another orangutan
Prairie vole males are monogamous, while meadow vole males are polygamous. What accounts for this difference?
a) Prairie vole males have more vasopressin receptors.
b) Prairie vole males have less vasopressin receptors.
c) Meadow vole males are more likely to display parental care.
d) Meadow voles are more likely to die during the breeding season.
e) Prairie vole females are less likely to mate than meadow vole females.
a) Prairie vole males have more vasopressin receptors.
Studying the effects of hormones on honeybee foraging activities is BEST characterized as a ______ type of question.
a) mechanism
b) development
c) survival value
d) evolutionary history
e) ultimate analysis
a) mechanism
42) The vicious circle experiment demonstrates ______.
a) an inherited predisposition for a dysfunctional behavior
b) an acquired dysfunctional behavior
c) nonfunctional behavior
d) a foraging behavior
e) developmental behavior
b) an acquired dysfunctional behavior
Which of the following is NOT true about mutations?
a) Mutations usually result in detrimental phenotypic changes.
b) Mutations occur randomly.
c) Mutations are always passed down from parent to offspring.
d) There are multiple sources of mutations.
e) Most mutations are deleterious because most genotypes are already a good fit to the environment.
c) Mutations are always passed down from parent to offspring.
Speciation is ______.
a) the result of inbreeding
b) the formation of a new species
c) the extinction of a species
c) when animals of different species interbreed
d) when a breeding barrier separates members of a species
b) the formation of a new species
A researcher begins an experiment by rewarding rats with food every time they press a lever. At some point, the researcher completely stops giving the food reward. The rats continue for some time to press the levers more frequently than before their training, which may be considered as dysfunctional behavior. Which of the following sources of dysfunctional behaviors is more likely responsible?
a). Genetically linked traits
b) Unrecognized benefits of traits
c) Suboptimal behaviors
d) Environmental changes across generations
e) Environmental changes within a generation
e) Environmental changes within a generation
Neurons receive impulses via ______ and transmit electrochemical information via ______.
a) axons, nucleus
b) axons, dendrites
c) dendrites, nucleus
d) dendrites, cell body
e) dendrites, axons
e) dendrites, axons
What influence does environmental variance have on narrow-sense heritability?
a) Greater environmental variance results in lower narrow-sense heritability.
b) Greater environmental variance results in equal or greater narrow-sense heritability.
c) Environmental variance and narrow-sense heritability are always balanced.
d) Environmental variance does not influence narrow-sense heritability.
e) The environment (i.e., ecological niche) is the only factor that influences traits.
a) Greater environmental variance results in lower narrow-sense heritability.
The species of cichlid fishes that live in Lake Victoria in Africa and the Galapagos finches each possess alleles at the same gene site that influence the shapes and sizes of their jaws. This is an example of _______________.
A. genetic heritage linkage
B. similar environmental challenges
C. differing origins
D. genetic continuity
E. convergent evolution
D. genetic continuity
The same genes that influence beak shape in the 13 different species of Galapagos finches also influence jaw shape in the over 500 different species of cichlids in Africa’s Lake Victoria. This is an example of
A) homoplasy.
B) adaptive radiation.
C) genetic continuity.
D) genetic drift.
E) a genetic bottleneck.
C) genetic continuity.
When a rat scavenges through the trash, it may consume harmful new food items that can have deleterious health effects. When that rat has recovered but now avoids that food item, and another rat avoids the food item because the first rat is not eating it, this is an example of __________.
A. trial and error learning
B. cultural transmission
C. foraging behaviors
D. group cohesiveness
E. reciprocal altruism
B. cultural transmission
An interglacial period within an ice age during which the environment is rapidly changing due to the advance and retreat of glaciers favors _______________________.
A. punctuated equilibrium
B. rapid evolution
C. reversed equilibrium
D. geographical disruption
E. environmental crises
B. rapid evolution
An insecticide that worked 20 years ago to kill the majority of an insect pest species on crops is now largely ineffective. What is the most likely reason for this?
A. The modern version of the insecticide is poorly made relative to better quality in the past.
B. New insects migrated to farms in the U.S and are unaffected by U.S insecticides.
C. The insecticide of now old and out-of-date.
D. Through natural selection, a subset of insects became the dominant phenotype.
E. Farm crops are less hearty now than 20 years ago.
D. Through natural selection, a subset of insects became the dominant phenotype.
The concept that sickle cell anemia has protective value against malaria but also can be dangerous due to a lower oxygen capacity of red blood cells is an example of ______________.
A. a polygenic trait
B. evolution
C. natural selection
D. genotype
E. pleiotropy
E. pleiotropy
In most socially living species, different members take on different roles at any one time, one being a sentry for predators. This is an example of one type of problem that can occur in ________.
A. freeloading
B. reciprocal altruism
C. mutualism
D. survival tactics
E. group selection
E. group selection
Before snakes slithered, they had limbs like those of lizards. Over generations, perhaps to fit into small holes in the ground, their legs were selected against. Without legs, snakes were able to fit into a tighter space in which they could hide from predators. This concept can be explained by _________________.
A. suboptimal behaviors
B. pleiotropy
C. beneficial adaptations
D. genetically linked traits
E. Darwinian microcosm
C. beneficial adaptations
The textbook mentions that across three populations of Taita thrushes there are differences in the tarsus bone. If one population of thrushes show a less symmetrical tarsus bone, this could be indicative of _____________________.
A. the food sources being scarce where this population lives, thereby causing the bone to grow symmetrically.
B. predation being higher within this population, resulting in injury to the tarsus bone.
C. different climates within each ecological niche that accounts for phenotypic variability.
D. an early warning sign of high mortality rates and thus, a greater risk of extinction.
E. a smaller and asymmetrical tarsus bone was naturally selected for within this population to avoid predation.
D. an early warning sign of high mortality rates and thus, a greater risk of extinction.
After a woman gives birth, her endocrine system will trigger the release of several hormones to facilitate lactation as well as bonding with her offspring. What gland located at the base of the hypothalamus will secrete prolactin to stimulate the production of milk?
A. thyroid
B. adrenal
C. pituitary
D. pancreas
E. gonads
C. pituitary
If a male human is living with a woman and a newborn baby, even if the baby is not his, the male’s testosterone levels decrease. What is this an example of?
A. The endocrine system priming the nervous system for external stimuli (i.e., newborn).
B. The endocrine system releasing a hormone without any external stimuli triggering it.
C. The endocrine system releasing hormones to assist with development of the newborn.
D. The endocrine system preparing the body for fight or flight to protect the newborn.
E. The endocrine system modifying behavior to increase survival chances of the newborn.
E. The endocrine system modifying behavior to increase survival chances of the newborn.
Zuk and her colleagues studied male crickets singing behaviors to attract mates; however, these songs also attracted dangerous parasites. Parasitic flies are found on three Hawaiian Islands, Oahu, Hawaii, and Kauai, and most commonly are found on the island of Kauai. Over several years, they noticed male singing decreased and found that these males developed wings which interfered with their singing abilities. What is this an example of noted in the textbook?
A. convergent evolution
B. individual learning
C. cultural transmission
D. direct fitness
E. natural selection
E. natural selection
In some avian species, female birds’ mate with several males across their lifetime and seemingly keep track of how many chicks fledged their nest after mating with each male. If more chicks fledged the nest after mating with a specific male, the female will change her mating behavior and prefer to mate with the male that fathered the most successful fledglings. What is this an example of?
A. convergent evolution
B. individual learning
C. divergent evolution
D. cultural transmission
E. direct fitness
B. individual learning
The textbook gives an example of two subspecies of mosquitos, A.e. formosus native to forests in sub-Saharan Africa and A.e. aegypti live outside of sub-Saharan Africa. These subspecies exhibit different preferences in foraging behaviors (i.e., blood meals). Why?
A. Each subtype of mosquitos has different tastebuds that account for differences in taste preference.
B. Each subtype of mosquitos has adapted to forage for the food most abundant in its environment.
C. The subtypes have different variants of the chemosensory odorant receptors.
D. These mosquitos do not prefer different blood meals; rather, they have learned over time to prey on the easiest targets within their environments.
E. The A.e aegypti subspecies has a genetic predisposition to be more sensitive to sulcatone, a chemical within the blood of the humans they do not feed on.
C. The subtypes have different variants of the chemosensory odorant receptors.
In young zebra finches when the FOXP2 gene was knocked out, they showed a reduced ability to copy the song of adults. This an example of ______________?
A. behavioral alterations across development
B. a nonfunctional gene
C. a mutation
D. inheritance of a single gene
E. genes regulating behavior
E. genes regulating behavior
Clayton and his colleagues found that when zebra finches are first exposed to the song of a conspecific, there is an increase in zenk mRNA and the number of forebrain neurons. With repeated exposure to the same song, there were no longer neural changes associated with zenk. What is this an example of?
A. molecular genetics
B. sensitization
C. habituation
D. behavioral genetics
E. gene silencing
C. habituation
An experiment done with parasitoid wasps showed that wasps raised in colder temperatures laid fewer eggs in their hosts and were worse at discriminating between hosts of different quality. What is this an example of?
A. colder temperatures being more beneficial for wasps
B. how development affects behavior
C. genetic predispositions for host quality
D. learned behaviors within a generation
E. prosocial behaviors within a species
B. how development affects behavior
In most colonies of social insect species, only the queens within the colony produce offspring, even though there are thousands of other female insects in the colony. What was the textbook’s explanation for this?
A. The social culture of the colonies has diverse and established labor roles which maintain order.
B. The other females in the colony do reproduce; however, given their inferior genetics, the offspring are non-viable.
C. Only a handful of males within the colony were chosen through natural selection to be fertile and these few are reserved for mating with the queens.
D. The queen’s pheromones are distinct from other females in the colony, and male mates are significantly more attracted to the queen’s pheromones.
E. The Neofem2 gene which is responsible for queen-worker communication and is regulated by the queen’s pheromones.
E. The Neofem2 gene which is responsible for queen-worker communication and is regulated by the queen’s pheromones.
Which source of genetic variation produces variation with the highest degree of randomness?
A) Mutation.
B) Genetic recombination.
C) Sexual Recombination.
D) Geographic migration.
E) alternative RNA splicing.
a) mutation
If two portions of a population are separated by a physical barrier arising from a geological event (such as the formation of a river or canyon), then which of the following would you expect to happen?
A) A speciation event will occur due to reduced gene flow.
B) A speciation event will occur due to an increased rate of mutation.
C) No speciation event is likely to occur.
D) A period of evolutionary stasis will occur.
E) There will be an increase in cultural transmission.
A) A speciation event will occur due to reduced gene flow.
Which of the following is NOT a way in which hormones can affect behavior?
A) Hormones can affect target cell metabolism.
B) Hormones can affect target cell DNA expression.
C) Hormones can affect the nervous system.
D) Hormones can act in complex chains that affect overall physiological states.
E) Hormones can directly produce a motor response.
E) Hormones can directly produce a motor response.
How does natural selection relate to cultural transmission and individual learning?
A) Natural selection cannot operate on cultural transmission nor individual learning.
B) Natural selection determines cultural transmission, but not individual learning.
C) Natural selection determines individual learning, but not cultural transmission.
D) Natural selection can operate on organisms’ capacity for cultural transmission and individual learning.
E) Natural selection can operate on organisms’ capacity for cultural transmission, but not individual learning.
D) Natural selection can operate on organisms’ capacity for cultural transmission and individual learning.
When constructing phylogenetic trees, you are often able to construct multiple candidate trees. Which of the following is NOT a principle that can help select the best candidate tree?
A) The tree should be parsimonious.
B) The tree should depict the minimum number of speciation events.
C) Morphological and molecular genetic information should produce matching trees.
D) The tree should make the least number of assumptions as possible.
E) The tree should be based on the smallest possible number of polygenic traits.
E) The tree should be based on the smallest possible number of polygenic traits.
Vicious circle behavior is an example of dysfunctional behavior due to ___________.
A) neuropathological pathology.
B) environmental changes across generations.
C) environmental changes within generations.
D) pleiotropy.
E) interference with indirect benefits to reproductive behavior.
C) environmental changes within generations.
Why are deleterious traits most commonly recessive?
A) Most mutations are advantageous and produce dominant traits.
B) If a deleterious trait is dominant, it is selected out of the population quickly.
C) Most mutations are of single nucleotides, and so are not drastic enough to produce a dominant trait.
D) Most traits are recessive, and so it just happens to be the case that most deleterious traits are also recessive.
E) The allele associated with the deleterious trait occupies a location on the chromosome that is especially prone to crossing over.
B) If a deleterious trait is dominant, it is selected out of the population quickly.
Organisms can learn both forward and backward associations. This suggests that the basis for learning is ___________.
A) predictive value.
B) contiguity.
C) contrast.
D) minimizing surprising outcomes.
E) failing to respond to important stimuli.
B) contiguity.
When a chimpanzee is taught sign language, the chimpanzee will not be able to learn the ___________ of human language.
A) semantics
B) vocabulary
C) symbols
D) syntax
E) nouns
D) syntax
Genetic recombination involves _________.
A) transposition of a section of DNA from one part of the genome to another.
B) addition of a single nucleotide to a section of DNA.
C) replacement of one nucleotide from a section of DNA.
D) deletion of a single nucleotide from a section of DNA.
E) exchange of genetic material between homologous chromosomes during cell division.
E) exchange of genetic material between homologous chromosomes during cell division.
