Of the following, an evolutionary psychologist will most likely investigate the adaptive value of certain behaviors in terms of how they may have contributed to survival and reproduction in ancestral environments. Which of the following best exemplifies this approach?

• A. Examining the effects of reinforcement schedules on learning in rats
• B. Investigating the impact of neurotransmitter imbalances on mood disorders
• C. Studying why humans are more likely to fear snakes than flowers
• D. Analyzing the influence of cultural norms on language development

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that evolutionary psychology focuses on how certain behaviors or psychological traits may have provided adaptive advantages in terms of survival and reproduction in ancestral environments.
2. Identify that the key aspect of evolutionary psychology is explaining behaviors by their evolutionary function or adaptive value, rather than immediate causes like learning mechanisms or cultural influences.
3. Evaluate each option by asking whether it relates to the evolutionary purpose of a behavior: for example, fearing snakes could have helped early humans avoid danger, thus increasing survival chances.
4. Recognize that studying reinforcement schedules or neurotransmitter imbalances focuses more on proximate causes (how behaviors occur), while evolutionary psychology looks at ultimate causes (why behaviors evolved).
5. Conclude that the example involving fear of snakes versus flowers best exemplifies evolutionary psychology because it investigates a behavior's adaptive significance in ancestral environments.