Q.1 What is the primary focus of evolutionary social psychology?
Studying individual differences in cognition
Understanding social behavior through evolutionary principles
Analyzing cultural traditions
Investigating neurological disorders
Explanation - Evolutionary social psychology examines how human social behaviors, such as cooperation or aggression, have been shaped by natural selection to solve adaptive problems.
Correct answer is: Understanding social behavior through evolutionary principles
Q.2 Which concept explains why humans may prefer mates with traits signaling health and fertility?
Reciprocal altruism
Parental investment theory
Sexual selection
Social learning theory
Explanation - Sexual selection is an evolutionary process where traits are favored because they increase reproductive success, such as physical attractiveness signaling health and fertility.
Correct answer is: Sexual selection
Q.3 Reciprocal altruism in evolutionary social psychology refers to:
Helping others without expecting anything in return
Helping others with the expectation of future help
Competing aggressively for resources
Avoiding social interactions
Explanation - Reciprocal altruism suggests that individuals help others with the expectation that the favor will be returned, which increases survival and reproductive success.
Correct answer is: Helping others with the expectation of future help
Q.4 Which theory explains differences in male and female mating strategies?
Social exchange theory
Parental investment theory
Attachment theory
Behavioral genetics
Explanation - Parental investment theory proposes that the sex investing more in offspring (typically females) will be choosier in mate selection, while the less investing sex (typically males) competes for access.
Correct answer is: Parental investment theory
Q.5 Evolutionary social psychologists suggest that fear of snakes is common because:
Humans have culturally learned it recently
Snakes posed adaptive survival threats in ancestral environments
It is a genetic mutation in some populations
Modern media exaggerates danger
Explanation - Humans evolved predispositions to fear objects that historically threatened survival, like snakes and spiders, which helped our ancestors avoid danger.
Correct answer is: Snakes posed adaptive survival threats in ancestral environments
Q.6 Which of the following is an example of in-group favoritism from an evolutionary perspective?
Preferring unfamiliar strangers over friends
Helping relatives over non-relatives
Avoiding all social contact
Displaying random generosity
Explanation - In-group favoritism is often explained by kin selection, where individuals are more likely to help relatives to ensure shared genetic survival.
Correct answer is: Helping relatives over non-relatives
Q.7 What role does jealousy play in evolutionary social psychology?
It is purely a cultural phenomenon
It signals threats to reproductive success
It is unrelated to mating strategies
It primarily develops in old age
Explanation - Jealousy evolved as a mechanism to protect relationships and ensure paternity certainty, which is important for reproductive success.
Correct answer is: It signals threats to reproductive success
Q.8 Which behavior is predicted by evolutionary social psychology to increase inclusive fitness?
Selfishness toward all individuals
Altruism toward close relatives
Avoidance of mating
Ignoring social hierarchies
Explanation - Inclusive fitness theory suggests that helping relatives can increase the transmission of shared genes, thereby enhancing evolutionary success.
Correct answer is: Altruism toward close relatives
Q.9 Why might humans have evolved preferences for social status?
Status is aesthetically pleasing
High status often increases access to resources and mates
Status reduces cognitive ability
Status only matters in modern societies
Explanation - Evolutionary social psychology suggests that higher social status historically increased reproductive success by providing better access to resources and mates.
Correct answer is: High status often increases access to resources and mates
Q.10 Which concept refers to behaviors that increase an individual's genetic contribution to future generations?
Adaptive behavior
Cultural transmission
Cognitive bias
Attachment
Explanation - Adaptive behaviors are actions that enhance survival and reproduction, thereby increasing the likelihood of passing on genes to future generations.
Correct answer is: Adaptive behavior
Q.11 The tendency to conform to group norms may be explained evolutionarily as:
A way to avoid punishment only
Increasing survival by promoting group cohesion
A random social habit
An outdated cultural relic
Explanation - Conforming to group norms enhances cooperation and cohesion, which can improve survival in social species like humans.
Correct answer is: Increasing survival by promoting group cohesion
Q.12 Which of the following is an example of mate guarding?
Helping a friend with homework
Monitoring a partner to prevent infidelity
Donating to charity
Avoiding social conflict
Explanation - Mate guarding is a behavior aimed at protecting a reproductive partner from potential rivals, thereby ensuring reproductive success.
Correct answer is: Monitoring a partner to prevent infidelity
Q.13 Which evolutionary principle explains why people may help strangers in emergencies?
Kin selection
Reciprocal altruism
Naturalistic observation
Social loafing
Explanation - Helping strangers can be beneficial if there is an expectation of future reciprocation, which improves survival and social cooperation.
Correct answer is: Reciprocal altruism
Q.14 Why are humans thought to have evolved moral emotions like guilt and shame?
To control only personal impulses
To maintain social bonds and cooperation
To prevent physical illness
To enhance memory performance
Explanation - Moral emotions promote behaviors that strengthen social cohesion, which historically increased survival and reproductive success.
Correct answer is: To maintain social bonds and cooperation
Q.15 Which of the following is considered a universal human behavior shaped by evolution?
Preference for high-calorie foods
Using smartphones
Wearing fashion clothes
Driving cars
Explanation - Humans evolved preferences for calorie-rich foods to survive in environments where food was scarce.
Correct answer is: Preference for high-calorie foods
Q.16 Why might evolutionary social psychologists study aggression?
To analyze its cultural variations only
Because aggression can increase access to resources and mates
To eliminate it completely from society
To understand modern media influence
Explanation - Aggression is studied as an adaptive behavior that historically could improve reproductive success by competing for resources and status.
Correct answer is: Because aggression can increase access to resources and mates
Q.17 Which factor is important in evolutionary explanations for prosocial behavior?
Genetic relatedness
Physical strength only
Economic wealth alone
Random chance
Explanation - Prosocial behaviors are often more likely toward relatives, as helping kin enhances inclusive fitness by passing shared genes.
Correct answer is: Genetic relatedness
Q.18 What does the term 'adaptive problem' mean in evolutionary social psychology?
A challenge that improves cultural knowledge
A challenge historically affecting survival or reproduction
A modern social dilemma
A cognitive error in reasoning
Explanation - Adaptive problems are recurrent challenges in ancestral environments that natural selection favored solutions for, such as finding food or attracting mates.
Correct answer is: A challenge historically affecting survival or reproduction
Q.19 Which of the following is an example of a social strategy shaped by evolution?
Forming alliances for mutual benefit
Ignoring others completely
Randomly choosing friends
Following only formal rules
Explanation - Forming alliances improves survival and access to resources, demonstrating an evolved social strategy.
Correct answer is: Forming alliances for mutual benefit
Q.20 Why is parental investment theory important in understanding human mating behavior?
It explains cultural rituals
It predicts sex differences in mate choice and competition
It focuses on childhood development only
It studies memory patterns
Explanation - Parental investment theory shows that the sex investing more in offspring is choosier, while the other competes for mating opportunities.
Correct answer is: It predicts sex differences in mate choice and competition
Q.21 Which behavior reflects an evolved response to social threats?
Forming coalitions
Ignoring group dynamics
Acting randomly
Avoiding all communication
Explanation - Humans evolved to form coalitions to protect themselves from threats and enhance group survival, an adaptive social behavior.
Correct answer is: Forming coalitions
Q.22 What is an example of sexual dimorphism explained by evolutionary social psychology?
Differences in mate competition strategies between men and women
Variation in eye color among humans
Preferences for different cuisines
Learning styles in school
Explanation - Sexual dimorphism refers to differences between sexes in behavior or physical traits, often arising from different reproductive pressures.
Correct answer is: Differences in mate competition strategies between men and women
Q.23 Which of the following illustrates the concept of adaptive emotional responses?
Fear prompting avoidance of dangerous animals
Enjoying modern entertainment
Wearing fashionable clothing
Writing poetry
Explanation - Emotions like fear evolved to protect humans from threats, enhancing survival and adaptive decision-making.
Correct answer is: Fear prompting avoidance of dangerous animals
Q.24 Why do evolutionary social psychologists study kinship patterns?
To understand inheritance laws
To examine how genetic relatedness influences social behavior
To track cultural festivals
To classify occupations
Explanation - Kinship influences helping behaviors and social alliances, reflecting evolutionary mechanisms that enhance inclusive fitness.
Correct answer is: To examine how genetic relatedness influences social behavior
Q.25 How does evolutionary social psychology explain gossip?
As a waste of time
As a tool for maintaining social bonds and reputations
As a modern invention
As purely entertainment
Explanation - Gossip can help monitor social behavior, maintain alliances, and protect reputations, all of which have adaptive social benefits.
Correct answer is: As a tool for maintaining social bonds and reputations