Chapter 2

Question 1

Adaptation

Answer 1

A process by which organisms become better suited to their environment and thereby increase their reproductive success

Question 2

Adaptive radiation

Answer 2

The diversification of a group of organisms into forms filling different ecological niches

Question 3

Co-residence duration

Answer 3

Cue of relatedness; the longer two individuals lived together throughout childhood, the more likely they are related

Question 4

Cuckoldry

Answer 4

A mate is led to believe that another person’s child is their own

Question 5

Differential reproduction

Answer 5

Organisms have different rates of reproductive success

Question 6

Diminishing marginal gains

Answer 6

A decline in the gain a person derives from the consumption of each additional unit of a product

Question 7

Direct fitness

Answer 7

Personal survival and reproduction

Question 8

Eugenics

Answer 8

The science of trying to improve the human population by controlled breeding to increase desirable heritable traits

Question 9

Eusocial

Answer 9

Species with radical reproductive division of labour; a single female or caste produces the offspring and sterile individuals cooperate in caring for the young

Question 10

Fertility

Answer 10

Ones reproductive ability

Question 11

Fitness

Answer 11

An organisms reproductive success, their ability to survive and reproduce in a particular environment

Question 12

Fluctuating asymmetry

Answer 12

A measure of bilateral traits that are symmetrical over the population as a whole, but not necessarily for an individual. Higher symmetry is considered more desirable.

Question 13

Gametes

Answer 13

A haploid cell that is able to unite with another opposite sex cell to form a zygote

Question 14

Genetic relatedness (r)

Answer 14

An estimate of the proportion of genes shared between individuals

Question 15

Hamilton’s Rule

Answer 15

rB>C

Question 16

Heritable

Answer 16

When a trait can be transmissible (genetically) from parent to offspring

Question 17

Inbreeding

Answer 17

Reproduction among close relatives, especially over generations

Question 18

Inclusive fitness

Answer 18

An organism’s ability to pass on their genes to the next generation, taking into account the shared genes that are passed on by relatives

Question 19

Indirect fitness

Answer 19

Survival and reproduction of relatives

Question 20

Incest aversion

Answer 20

An aversion to mating with close relatives

Question 21

Intersexual selection

Answer 21

Competition within individuals to capture the interest of the other sex

Question 22

Intrasexual selection

Answer 22

Competition within individuals over access to the opposite sex

Question 23

Kin recognition

Answer 23

A psychological mechanism that helps an organism to distinguish between close genetic kin and non-kin

Question 24

Mate choice

Answer 24

A component of intersexual selection where selection of a mate depends on the attractiveness of their traits

Question 25

Maternal-perinatal association

Answer 25

Older siblings learn to recognize offspring that their mother cares for as younger siblings

Question 26

Natural selection

Answer 26

Organisms which are better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring thus continuing/increasing the behavioural or physical trait within the population

Question 27

Negatively related

Answer 27

r<0, less related than what we would expect by chance

Question 28

Parent-offspring conflict

Answer 28

The conflict that arises from differences in optimal parental investment from the viewpoints of the parent and the offspring

Question 29

Phenotype

Answer 29

The observable characteristics, both physical and behavioural, of an organism resulting from the interaction of its genotype and environment

Question 30

Phylogeny

Answer 30

A pattern of evolutionary development and divergence of distinct lineage from common ancestors

Question 31

Positively related

Answer 31

r>0, more related than we would expect by chance

Question 32

Romantic jealousy

Answer 32

Feelings of anger and desire to guard a mate/prospective mate from emotionally investing in a new relationship

Question 33

Sexual jealousy

Answer 33

Feelings of anger and desire to guard a mate/prospective mate from engaging in a sexual activity with another

Question 34

Sexual selection

Answer 34

Natural selection within the mating domain, represented by preferences by one sex for particular characteristics in the opposite sex

Question 35

Social behaviour

Answer 35

Actions directed at society or taking place between members of the same species

Question 36

Waist-to-hip ratio

Answer 36

Circumference of the waist divided by the circumference of the hips