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Question 1

Causes of mortality are sometimes categorized as either extrinsic (meaning that the individual is unable to influence the probability that she will survive) or intrinsic (meaning that the individual is able to influence the probability that she will survive).
a) Describe the effect that high extrinsic mortality is expected to have on the timing of female sexual maturation, and provide an ultimate explanation for this pattern.

Answer 1

• Female maturation would happen sooner because she’d sense a more dangerous environment
• Dandelion thing

Question 2

The timing of a woman’s own sexual maturation is expected to be associated with the age at which she weans her infants. Describe the nature of this association, and provide an ultimate explanation for this pattern.

Answer 2

• Someone who matures early will wean their infant faster so that they’ll be able to reproduce more offspring and have more chances of their offspring surviving
• Life history theory—allocation of resources
• Minimize birth interval

Question 3

Extrinsic mortality and social competition can be expected to have opposite effects from one another on the timing of sexual maturation. Describe the expected pattern for each, and provide an ultimate explanation for each.

Answer 3

• When there’s more extrinsic mortality, you’ll mature faster, making social competition less; but when there’s not, then you have more time to be more selective about partners

Question 4

Define bimaturism. Suppose that the extent of human bimaturism is contingent on features of the physical and social environment. Consider two environments: Environment A is characterized by high extrinsic mortality and low social competition; Environment B is characterized by low extrinsic mortality and high social competition. In which environment would you expect human bimaturism to be more extreme? Provide an ultimate explanation for your response.

Answer 4

• Bimaturism: how both sexes develop in their life history
• Environment B. the male will mature/hit puberty later and grow bigger and stronger to compete with other males. If he hits puberty too soon before developing, then he might be “killed” by other males.