Question 1

Which of the following was NOT mentioned as a factor contributing to the differences in personality traits in identical twins?

Accepted Answer

School experiences are not mentioned as a factor contributing to the differences in personality traits in identical twins.

Question 2

Evidence for heritable components in dyslexia have been found in _______________ studies.

Accepted Answer

Behaviour genetics studies examine the role of genes in the development of dyslexia by comparing the prevalence of the disorder in families with and without a history of dyslexia.

Question 3

Natural selection refers to

Accepted Answer

The answer of Natural selection refers to
...

Question 4

Genetic factors are especially important in the development of dyslexia in

Accepted Answer

The answer of Genetic factors are especially important in the...

Question 5

The change over time in the frequency with which particular genes occur within an interbreeding population is referred to as

Accepted Answer

Evolution is defined as the change over time in the frequency of genes within an interbreeding population. This encompasses mechanisms such as natural selection, mutation, gene flow, and genetic drift.

Question 6

The genes that are associated with dyslexia have likely caused

Accepted Answer

Genes associated with dyslexia are believed to cause subtle changes in brain development, particularly in areas related to language processing and phonological awareness, rather than directly causing intellectual impairment or changes in visual processing.

Question 7

According to the notion of a reaction range for intelligence, if Dean has a reaction range that is equivalent to Shannon's and Shannon has experienced a considerably more enriched environment compared to Dean, who would have a higher intelligence score?

Accepted Answer

The concept of a reaction range for intelligence suggests that while genetic factors set the boundaries (the range) of an individual's intelligence, environmental factors determine where within this range an individual's intelligence will fall. Since Shannon has experienced a more enriched environment compared to Dean, and they have the same reaction range, Shannon would likely have a higher intelligence score due to the positive impact of the enriched environment on her development within that range.

Question 8

Domain-specific adaptations refer to adaptations related to

Accepted Answer

Domain-specific adaptations are specialized adaptations that have evolved to solve specific problems, such as determining what is safe to eat, rather than general skills or brain growth.

Question 9

Genetic variation enables natural selection to work because

Accepted Answer

Genetic variation provides a pool of traits from which natural selection can "select" based on environmental pressures. Individuals with variations that confer an advantage in their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing those advantageous traits to their offspring.

Question 10

Based on Hans Eysenck's work on genetic components of personality, research has shown that the personality trait neuroticism is related to increased action of the neurotransmitter _______.

Accepted Answer

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is involved in mood regulation. Low levels of serotonin have been linked to increased neuroticism.

Question 11

Twin studies have consistently revealed that the factor that accounts for the least amount of variation in personality trait attributes is

Accepted Answer

Family environment accounts for the least amount of variation in personality traits according to twin studies. While genetics, school experiences, and social interactions all play significant roles, the shared family environment surprisingly contributes minimally to personality differences among siblings.

Question 12

Which of the following was NOT mentioned as a human behaviour related to innate evolved mechanisms?

Accepted Answer

The ability to read is not an innate evolved mechanism but a skill developed through education and practice. Basic emotions, language acquisition, and responsiveness to human faces are considered innate behaviors linked to evolution.

Question 13

Though the research by Vernon at the University of Western Ontario and Jang at the University of British Columbia showed that attitudes toward things like reading books and participating in organized sports showed the greatest heritability rates, the researchers cautioned that

Accepted Answer

Certain characteristics influenced by genetics make individuals more inclined toward specific activities, rather than specific genes directly causing these attitudes.

Question 14

If our ancestors' mental abilities increased in parallel with an increase in brain size, why has the size of our brain not continued increasing?

Accepted Answer

Human capabilities are determined by a combination of factors, not just brain size. Evolutionary pressures may have favored other traits or efficiencies over further increases in brain size.

Question 15

According to the Minnesota Twin Study, which of the following factors was least important in determining personality?

Accepted Answer

The Minnesota Twin Study found that genetics played a significant role in determining personality, while the emotional climate in the home was less influential compared to genetic factors and unique individual experiences.

Question 16

Research conducted with twins indicates that genetic factors appear to account for approximately 39 to 58 percent of the variation in personality traits, while unique or individual environments account for about _________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Research conducted with twins indicates that genetic...

Question 17

One innate, evolved trait of humans is the preference that newborns have for

Accepted Answer

Newborns have an innate preference for faces, which is an evolved trait that helps them recognize and bond with caregivers. They are more attracted to face-like patterns than to random arrangements of facial features.

Question 18

Support for innate evolved mechanisms is illustrated by the finding that

Accepted Answer

Infants are born with the ability to learn any language, which supports the idea of innate evolved mechanisms for language acquisition. This ability demonstrates a pre-existing, universal capacity for language learning, rather than something that is entirely learned or dependent on specific environmental exposure.

Question 19

All EXCEPT which one of the following is involved in reading aloud

Accepted Answer

Reading aloud involves visual processing to see the words, cognition to understand them, and motor ability to articulate the sounds. Auditory processing is more involved in listening and understanding sounds, not producing them, making it the least involved in the process of reading aloud.

Question 20

In the Minnesota Twin Study, genetics accounted for a percentage of the variation among people in personality trait scores. This percentage range was __________.

Accepted Answer

The Minnesota Twin Study found that genetics accounted for approximately 39-58% of the variation among people in personality trait scores, highlighting the significant role of genetics in shaping personality.

Quiz 4: Genes, Evolution, and Behaviour