In the United States, stepchildren who are less than two years of age are one hundred times more likely to suffer abuse at the hands of stepparents than of biological parents. Evolutionary psychologists evoke the principle of ________ to explain this disturbing statistic.
A) diffusion of responsibility
B) inclusive fitness
C) natural selection
D) differential parental investment

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Inclusive fitness refers to the evolutionary principle that individuals are more likely to invest in and protect those who share their genes, which explains why biological parents may be less likely to abuse their own children compared to stepchildren.

In the United States, Stepchildren Who Are Less Than Two