The evolutionary perspective holds that stepchildren are more likely to suffer abuse at the hands of stepparents than biological parents because
A) relationships with stepchildren are not as emotionally reinforcing as relationships with biological offspring.
B) stepparents must allocate more resources to stepchildren than to biological 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 individuals prioritize relationships that enhance their inclusive fitness (the likelihood of passing on their genes). Stepparents do not typically have a biological relationship with their stepchildren, which means investing resources in them may not enhance their inclusive fitness. Therefore, stepparents may be less likely to prioritize the well-being of their stepchildren, which could lead to increased risk of abuse.

The Evolutionary Perspective Holds That Stepchildren Are More Likely to Suffer