Exam 3: Genes, Evolution, and Environment

Genes are located on _______________, rod-shaped structures found in the nucleus of a cell.

What is "practice play"? How might it be beneficial in an evolutionary sense?

Where do new genetic variations come from? After a genetic variation exists, what would cause its frequency in the population increase until it was fairly common?

Studies have shown that the cerebral cortex in children with very high IQs develops for a longer time than in children with lower IQs.

DNA transfers genetic characteristics by way of coded instructions for the structure of proteins.

The average score on an IQ test for each age group is arbitrarily set at 100.

Sociobiologists argue that:

Because IQ is highly heritable, school achievement and IQ cannot be boosted much.

Sociobiologists predict that, compared to males, females should be more likely to:

In Chapter 1, the importance of critical thinking was noted. In particular, a critical thinker knows that after a general question is raised, the next step is to define one's terms in a clear and concrete way. Chapter 2 provided even more detail in the discussion of operational definitions. How do behavioral geneticists define the meaning of heritability? What does it mean when a trait is said to be "highly heritable"?

Vinay uses data from his study to estimate that the heritability of athletic ability is .60. This implies that about 60%:

Handfuls of tomato seeds that vary genetically are grabbed from a bag and placed in two separate pots. The first pot has enriched soil and is exposed to sunlight, whereas the nutrients in the second pot's soil have been depleted and the pot is placed in a dark corner. When the tomato plants grow:

Which of the following would an evolutionary psychologist expect to be more typical of males than of females? a. promiscuity b. choosiness about sexual partners c. concern with dominance d. interest in young partners e. emphasis on the physical attractiveness of partners

According to Professor Sandoval, the development of inheritable traits that helped our biological ancestors survive might help explain commonalities in human behavior today. She is most likely to consider herself:

Linkage studies are used to help determine:

The kind of intelligence that produces high IQ scores is partially heritable.

According to sociobiologists, females should want sex more often than do males.

Suppose a researcher finds that taste in music tends to be much more similar for identical twins than it is for fraternal twins. This would suggest that the heritability for musical taste:

What is meant by the term "mental module"?

According to sociobiologists, females need to "shop" for the best genetic mate.