The evolutionary perspective holds that stepchildren are more likely to suffer abuse at the hands of stepparents than of genetic parents because
A) relationships with stepchildren are not as emotionally reinforcing as relationships with genetic offspring.
B) stepparents must allocate more resources to stepchildren than to genetic offspring.
C) stepchildren do not enhance stepparents' inclusive fitness.
D) relationships with stepchildren do not follow the norm of reciprocity.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The evolutionary perspective suggests that stepparents have less investment in their stepchildren as they do not enhance the stepparents' inclusive fitness (genetic relatedness). Since stepparents do not share genetic relatedness with their stepchildren, there is less motivation to invest resources in them and therefore more likelihood of abuse. It is not a matter of emotional reinforcement, allocation of resources, or reciprocity.

The Evolutionary Perspective Holds That Stepchildren Are More Likely to Suffer