Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience Instructor Answer Guide
Multiple Choice
11.1 Understanding sexual reproduction and sexual dimorphism
1. What is a way in which diploid organisms benefit from having two copies of each
chromosome?
a. They are able to clone themselves
b. They mask harmful mutations
c. They reduce the likelihood of mating
d. They simplify cell division
Answer: b
2. Why is the concept of natural selection crucial to understanding sexual dimorphism?
a. It explains why traits develop independently of reproductive success
b. It shows how traits beneficial for survival are unrelated to reproduction
c. It highlights how traits beneficial for mating increase reproductive success
d. It negates the importance of sexual selection
Answer: c
3. In sexual reproduction, what type of cell division results in haploid gametes?
a. Mitosis
b. Binary Fission
c. Meiosis
d. Cloning
Answer: c
4. What is the key difference between mitosis and meiosis?
a. Mitosis results in haploid cells, meiosis in diploid cells
b. Mitosis occurs only in gametes, meiosis in somatic cells
c. Mitosis creates two identical cells, meiosis produces four genetically unique cells
d. Mitosis is a form of sexual reproduction, meiosis is asexual
Answer: c
5. Which species is known for female-biased development of secondary traits?
a. Elephant seals
b. Satin bowerbirds
c. Spotted hyenas
, Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience Instructor Answer Guide
d. Northern Cardinals
Answer: c
6. Which of the following best describes sexual dimorphism?
a. Traits that are identical in both sexes
b. Traits exclusively or predominantly found in one sex
c. Behavioral traits that both sexes share
d. A form of asexual reproduction
Answer: b
7. In which scenario is intersexual selection most evident?
a. Male lions competing for territory
b. Females selecting males based on complex courtship displays
c. Males developing larger body sizes
d. Both sexes contributing equally to offspring care
Answer: b
8. Which of the following statements best reflects the current understanding of sexual
behavior in the animal kingdom?
a. Sexual behavior is exclusively a mechanism for reproduction between individuals of
different sexes.
b. Same-sex sexual behavior is rare and occurs only in a few species.
c. Sexual behavior, including same-sex interactions, can serve roles beyond
reproduction, such as enhancing social bonds and mitigating conflict within groups.
d. Sexual behavior is only observed during the fertile period in most species.
Answer: c
11.2 Mechanisms of sexual determination and differentiation
9. Which of the following best describes bipotential gonads?
a. Gonads that can develop into either testes or ovaries
b. Gonads that produce both sperm and eggs
c. Gonads that are specialized in hormone production
d. Gonads that are identical in both sexes throughout life
Answer: a
10. Which environmental factor is most commonly associated with sex determination in
reptiles?
a. Photoperiod
b. Temperature
2
Updated October 2024
Multiple Choice
11.1 Understanding sexual reproduction and sexual dimorphism
1. What is a way in which diploid organisms benefit from having two copies of each
chromosome?
a. They are able to clone themselves
b. They mask harmful mutations
c. They reduce the likelihood of mating
d. They simplify cell division
Answer: b
2. Why is the concept of natural selection crucial to understanding sexual dimorphism?
a. It explains why traits develop independently of reproductive success
b. It shows how traits beneficial for survival are unrelated to reproduction
c. It highlights how traits beneficial for mating increase reproductive success
d. It negates the importance of sexual selection
Answer: c
3. In sexual reproduction, what type of cell division results in haploid gametes?
a. Mitosis
b. Binary Fission
c. Meiosis
d. Cloning
Answer: c
4. What is the key difference between mitosis and meiosis?
a. Mitosis results in haploid cells, meiosis in diploid cells
b. Mitosis occurs only in gametes, meiosis in somatic cells
c. Mitosis creates two identical cells, meiosis produces four genetically unique cells
d. Mitosis is a form of sexual reproduction, meiosis is asexual
Answer: c
5. Which species is known for female-biased development of secondary traits?
a. Elephant seals
b. Satin bowerbirds
c. Spotted hyenas
, Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience Instructor Answer Guide
d. Northern Cardinals
Answer: c
6. Which of the following best describes sexual dimorphism?
a. Traits that are identical in both sexes
b. Traits exclusively or predominantly found in one sex
c. Behavioral traits that both sexes share
d. A form of asexual reproduction
Answer: b
7. In which scenario is intersexual selection most evident?
a. Male lions competing for territory
b. Females selecting males based on complex courtship displays
c. Males developing larger body sizes
d. Both sexes contributing equally to offspring care
Answer: b
8. Which of the following statements best reflects the current understanding of sexual
behavior in the animal kingdom?
a. Sexual behavior is exclusively a mechanism for reproduction between individuals of
different sexes.
b. Same-sex sexual behavior is rare and occurs only in a few species.
c. Sexual behavior, including same-sex interactions, can serve roles beyond
reproduction, such as enhancing social bonds and mitigating conflict within groups.
d. Sexual behavior is only observed during the fertile period in most species.
Answer: c
11.2 Mechanisms of sexual determination and differentiation
9. Which of the following best describes bipotential gonads?
a. Gonads that can develop into either testes or ovaries
b. Gonads that produce both sperm and eggs
c. Gonads that are specialized in hormone production
d. Gonads that are identical in both sexes throughout life
Answer: a
10. Which environmental factor is most commonly associated with sex determination in
reptiles?
a. Photoperiod
b. Temperature
2
Updated October 2024
