Q.1 According to evolutionary psychology, why do men tend to prefer younger women as mates?
Younger women are more intelligent
Younger women have higher fertility potential
Younger women are more loyal
Younger women are more experienced in relationships
Explanation - Evolutionary theory suggests that men are naturally inclined to select partners who have higher reproductive potential, which is often associated with youth.
Correct answer is: Younger women have higher fertility potential
Q.2 What is the main evolutionary reason for women's preference for men with resources?
To gain social popularity
To ensure offspring survival
To avoid competition with other women
To increase personal attractiveness
Explanation - Women historically preferred men with resources because such men could provide better protection and support for offspring, enhancing reproductive success.
Correct answer is: To ensure offspring survival
Q.3 What is 'mate value' in evolutionary psychology?
A person's attractiveness in social situations
The genetic quality and resources an individual offers as a mate
A person's popularity among peers
The monetary worth of a potential partner
Explanation - Mate value refers to the traits that make an individual more desirable in terms of reproductive success, including health, fertility, and resources.
Correct answer is: The genetic quality and resources an individual offers as a mate
Q.4 Which of the following is an example of short-term mating strategy in humans?
Seeking a lifelong partner
Engaging in casual sexual encounters
Investing heavily in offspring
Building a family estate
Explanation - Short-term mating strategies focus on immediate reproductive opportunities rather than long-term investment in offspring.
Correct answer is: Engaging in casual sexual encounters
Q.5 Parental investment theory suggests that:
Males invest more in offspring than females
The sex that invests more in offspring will be more selective in mate choice
Humans do not exhibit mate preferences
Parental care is irrelevant for evolution
Explanation - The theory predicts that since females invest more in offspring biologically, they are generally more selective when choosing a mate.
Correct answer is: The sex that invests more in offspring will be more selective in mate choice
Q.6 Which trait is generally preferred by women across cultures when selecting a mate?
Physical strength
High intelligence and resource acquisition
Short stature
Playfulness
Explanation - Women often prefer traits indicating the ability to acquire resources and provide stability, which increases offspring survival chances.
Correct answer is: High intelligence and resource acquisition
Q.7 Sexual dimorphism in humans is an evolutionary adaptation linked to:
Dietary preferences
Mate selection and competition
Cultural norms only
Language development
Explanation - Physical differences between sexes evolved partly due to sexual selection pressures, including mate competition and attraction.
Correct answer is: Mate selection and competition
Q.8 What is the main reason men engage in mate guarding?
To control a partner's social life
To prevent infidelity and ensure paternity certainty
To show dominance over peers
To reduce conflict in the relationship
Explanation - Mate guarding is an evolved behavior aimed at ensuring that a male's reproductive investment is not wasted on offspring that are not genetically his.
Correct answer is: To prevent infidelity and ensure paternity certainty
Q.9 Which of the following is an example of a long-term mating strategy?
Short-term flings
Polygamous encounters
Seeking a committed partner and raising children together
Casual dating
Explanation - Long-term strategies focus on establishing stable partnerships and investing in offspring to maximize reproductive success.
Correct answer is: Seeking a committed partner and raising children together
Q.10 According to Buss (1989), women value which of the following traits more than men in mate selection?
Physical attractiveness
Ambition and financial prospects
Height
Youth
Explanation - Buss's cross-cultural research found that women place more emphasis on traits indicating resource acquisition potential.
Correct answer is: Ambition and financial prospects
Q.11 What is the evolutionary explanation for male jealousy?
Fear of emotional abandonment
Ensuring paternity certainty
Control over partner's freedom
Cultural conditioning only
Explanation - Men evolved to be more sensitive to sexual infidelity because it threatens their reproductive certainty.
Correct answer is: Ensuring paternity certainty
Q.12 Which reproductive strategy is characterized by high mating effort but low parental investment?
Short-term strategy
Long-term strategy
Monogamous strategy
Parental care strategy
Explanation - Individuals using short-term strategies prioritize mating opportunities over investing in offspring.
Correct answer is: Short-term strategy
Q.13 Why is facial symmetry considered attractive from an evolutionary perspective?
It signals wealth
It signals good genes and health
It is a cultural preference
It indicates high social status
Explanation - Symmetrical faces are associated with genetic fitness and developmental stability, making them attractive for mate selection.
Correct answer is: It signals good genes and health
Q.14 What does the term 'cuckoldry risk' refer to?
A woman's risk of losing resources
A man's risk of investing in offspring not genetically his
The risk of a mate leaving a relationship
The risk of low fertility
Explanation - Cuckoldry risk is the evolutionary concern men face regarding uncertain paternity and wasted reproductive effort.
Correct answer is: A man's risk of investing in offspring not genetically his
Q.15 Which trait do men across cultures generally prioritize in short-term mating?
Fertility indicators like youth and attractiveness
Financial resources
Emotional stability
Social status
Explanation - In short-term mating, men focus on traits that indicate immediate reproductive potential.
Correct answer is: Fertility indicators like youth and attractiveness
Q.16 Why do women prefer men with physical strength or dominance in certain contexts?
It signals the ability to provide protection and resources
It guarantees emotional loyalty
It ensures better parenting
It shows moral character
Explanation - Physical dominance can be a cue for resource acquisition ability and protection, which has evolutionary advantages.
Correct answer is: It signals the ability to provide protection and resources
Q.17 Which concept explains the trade-off between mating effort and parenting effort?
Parental investment theory
Sexual dimorphism
Kin selection theory
Reciprocal altruism
Explanation - Parental investment theory suggests that organisms allocate resources between finding mates and caring for offspring.
Correct answer is: Parental investment theory
Q.18 What is the significance of the waist-to-hip ratio in female attractiveness?
It signals fertility and health
It signals intelligence
It signals wealth
It signals social dominance
Explanation - A low waist-to-hip ratio is associated with higher reproductive potential and overall health, making it attractive in mate selection.
Correct answer is: It signals fertility and health
Q.19 Which mating strategy is likely when one sex can monopolize multiple mates?
Polygyny
Monogamy
Polyandry
Promiscuity
Explanation - Polygyny occurs when one male mates with multiple females, often related to resource control and reproductive success.
Correct answer is: Polygyny
Q.20 In evolutionary psychology, what does sexual selection emphasize?
Survival of the fittest only
Traits that increase mating success
Cultural norms in mate choice
Random genetic mutations
Explanation - Sexual selection focuses on traits that improve reproductive opportunities, even if they reduce survival.
Correct answer is: Traits that increase mating success
Q.21 Why might women prefer men with humor?
Humor indicates intelligence and good genes
Humor shows physical strength
Humor guarantees resource provision
Humor reduces mate competition
Explanation - Humor can signal creativity, intelligence, and cognitive fitness, which are attractive traits in mate selection.
Correct answer is: Humor indicates intelligence and good genes
Q.22 What is the primary evolutionary advantage of long-term pair bonding?
Increased social status
Enhanced survival and care of offspring
Access to multiple mates
Reduced competition
Explanation - Long-term pair bonding ensures joint investment in offspring, increasing survival and reproductive success.
Correct answer is: Enhanced survival and care of offspring
Q.23 Which of the following is an example of a reproductive strategy in females?
Mate selection based on resource acquisition
Seeking multiple partners indiscriminately
Focusing solely on physical strength
Avoiding long-term commitment
Explanation - Females often employ strategies that maximize offspring survival, including selecting partners who can provide resources.
Correct answer is: Mate selection based on resource acquisition
Q.24 What evolutionary explanation accounts for men's preference for physical attractiveness in mates?
It signals health and fertility
It signals loyalty
It signals financial stability
It signals parenting skills
Explanation - Physical attractiveness, particularly indicators of youth and health, suggests higher reproductive potential, which is prioritized by men.
Correct answer is: It signals health and fertility