,Multiple Choice Questions
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1. Which of the following questions is NOT a focus of evolutionary psychology? (c)
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(a) Why is the mind designed the way that it is?
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(b) How do the components of the mind interact with the environment?
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(c) What is the relationship between the human mind and the Big Bang?
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(d) What are the functions of the components of the human mind?
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2. Evolution refers to __________. (a) e e e e e
(a) changes in gene frequency within a population over time e e e e e e e e e
(b) differences between species e e e
(c) changes over time in the shape of the human skull e e e e e e e e e e
(d) differences between men and women e e e e e
3. Change in life forms over time was suggested __________. (b)
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(a) first by Darwin e e e
(b) well before Darwin’s time e e e e
(c) well after Darwin’s time e e e e
(d) first by George Williams e e e e
4. Which of the following arguments did Lamarck present? (d)
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(a) Species originate from microscopic algae. e e e e e
(b) Species progress toward a lower form. e e e e e e
(c) acquisition of inherited characteristics. e e e e
(d) inheritance of acquired characteristics. e e e e
5. According to Cuvier’s theory of catastrophism, species are __________. (a)
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(a) exterminated by sudden catastrophes and replaced by different species e e e e e e e e e
(b) irradiated by sudden catastrophes, thereafter replacing other species e e e e e e e e
(c) exterminated by gradual elimination due to disease, leaving room for new species e e e e e e e e e e e e
(d) irradiated and extinguished, and replaced by the same species e e e e e e e e e
6. Which of the following clues to change in organic structure over time were not known or noted prior to Darwin?
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(d)
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(a) cross-species structural similarities e e e
(b) cross-species embryological similarities e e e
(c) apparent function of traits e e e e
(d) mechanism to explain change in organic structure over time e e e e e e e e e
7. Which of the following is NOT an example of genetic drift? (a)
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(a) natural selection e e
(b) founder effect e e
(c) genetic bottleneck e e
(d) mutation e
8. Which of the following is NOT one of the three essential processes identified by Darwin’s theory of
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evolution by natural selection? (b)
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(a) variation e
(b) particulation e
(c) selection e
(d) inheritance e
,9. _________ provides the “raw materials” for evolution. (a)
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(a) Variation e
(b) Particulation e
(c) Selection e
(d) Inheritance e
10. For evolution to work, successful variations must be _________, or passed down reliably from parent to
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offspring. (d)
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(a) variated e
(b) particulated e
(c) selected e
(d) inherited e
11. The process of _________ refers to the component of Darwin’s theory of evolution that states that organisms
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with some heritable attributes leave more offspring because those attributes help with the tasks of survival and
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reproduction. (c)
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(a) variation e
(b) particulation e
(c) selection e
(d) inheritance e
12. In contrast to the theory of natural selection, which focused on adaptations that have arisen as a consequence of
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successful survival, the theory of ______________ focused on adaptations that have arisen as a consequence of
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successful mating. (a)
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(a) sexual selection e e
(b) internal selection e e
(c) external selection e e
(d) social selection e e
13. The work of Gregor Mendel documented that __________. (c)
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(a) evolution is unlikely to have occurred in pea plants e e e e e e e e e
(b) evolution is unlikely to have occurred in pea genes e e e e e e e e e
(c) inheritance is particulate, not blended e e e e e
(d) inheritance is blended, not particulate e e e e e
14. A _______ is the smallest discrete unit that is inherited by offspring intact, without being broken up or
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blended. (d)
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(a) genotype e
(b) phenotype e
(c) meme e
(d) gene e
15. Ethologists are interested in four key issues, which became known as the four “whys” of behavior advanced by
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Niko Tinbergen, a founder of ethology. Which of the following is not one of the four “whys” of behavior? (a)
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(a) imprinted influences of behavior e e e e
(b) immediate influences of behavior e e e e
(c) developmental influences of behavior e e e e
(d) function of behavior e e e
, 16. According to Hamilton (1954), _________ is the sum of classical fitness plus the effects the individual’s
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actions have on the reproductive success of his or her genetic relatives, weighted by the degree of genetic
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relatedness. (c)
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(a) direct fitness e e
(b) indirect fitness e e
(c) inclusive fitness e e
(d) exclusive fitness e e
17. Which of the following relatives is least related to you, genetically? (d)
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(a) grandmother e
(b) niece e
(c) half-brother e
(d) first cousin e e
18. Williams’s (1966) book clarified the concept of _________, an evolved solution to a specific problem that
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contributes directly or indirectly to successful reproduction. (c)
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(a) genetic drift e e
(b) byproduct e
(c) adaptation e
(d) exaptation e
19. Which of the following theories was not presented by Trivers in the early 1970s? (b)
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(a) theory of parental investment e e e e
(b) theory of gene selection e e e e
(c) theory of reciprocal altruism e e e e
(d) theory of parent-offspring conflict e e e e
20. Edward O. Wilson’s 1975 book ignited controversy for the assertion that much of human behavior could be
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explained by ___________. (b)
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(a) socialization e
(b) evolutionary biology e e
(c) inclusive fitness theory e e e
(d) ethology e
21. The last chapter on humans in Edward O. Wilson’s 1975 book was __________. (b)
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(a) based on research documenting the importance of cognition in human behavior
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(b) based on little empirical work e e e e e
(c) controversial because it portrayed humans as being subject to different evolutionary forces than other e e e e e e e e e e e e e
animals
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(d) controversial because it did not account for the role of culture in shaping behavior e e e e e e e e e e e e e e
22. Which of the following is NOT a misunderstanding of evolutionary theory? (d)
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(a) genetic determinism e e
(b) Behavior is impervious to change. e e e e e
(c) Adaptations are optimally designed. e e e e
(d) Adaptations are designed to confront environmental problems. e e e e e e e
23. Genetic determinism implies that __________. (a)
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(a) genes determine behavior e e e
(b) behavior is caused by the interaction of genes and environment e e e e e e e e e e
(c) culture determines all behavior e e e e