Mechanisms for recognizing kin are found throughout the plant and animal kingdoms, regardless of an organism's social or mental complexity. ████████████ ██ ███ ███████ █████████████ ██ █████ ██████████ ████ ██████ ████ ███████████ █████████ ██ ███ ████████ ██ ███ ███ ███████████ ██████ ██ ████ ███
Phenomenon ·Many plants and animals can recognize "kin" (relatives)
Inclusive fitness hypothesis ·Organisms transmit genetic material through relatives (not just offspring)
Contrast inclusive fitness with traditional view of evolution. Under traditional view, natural selection favors those with the most offspring. Inclusive fitness suggests natural selection also favors organisms who help their relatives (because this helps spread the organism's own genes).
Example of theory applied to cannibals ·Spadefood toad tadpoles
Some tadpoles eat their own species. But they nip at other tadpoles before eating, and end up eating only nonsiblings. Suggests they're trying to avoid eating their kin. But, they're more likely to eat kin when they're very hungry.
Example showing other explanation ·Tiger salamander larva
Some larva are cannibals. The bacteria are more deadly to close relatives, because the relatives have a similar immune system to the infected larva. So, when tiger salamanders avoid eating their close relatives, it could be because they just don't want to die from the bacteria in their relatives. This is about the organism's individual self-interest, not about trying to increase overall genetic representation.
Passage Style
Phenomenon-hypothesis
Single position
8.
Which one of the following ████ ██████████ █████████ ███ ████ █████ ██ ███ ████████
Question Type
Main point
In a Phenomenon-Hypothesis passage, the main point is typically the hypothesis the author focuses on. Here, the author describes the inclusive fitness theory as a potential explanation for kin recognition. She describes findings that provide support to the theory, but also notes that there are some examples of kin recognition that kin recognition might not explain.
This best captures the author’s overall point, because the author focuses on presenting the inclusive fitness theory as a potential explanation for kin recognition and describes evidence supporting it. (A) describes the inclusive fitness theory and the fact that some findings support it.
(B) isn’t supported. Although the author discusses different methods of kin recognition, she provides no evidence that the number of mechanisms for kin recognition is as high as the number of purposes served by kin recognition. The fact that there may be multiple mechanisms underlying kin recognition and potentially multiple purposes does not imply that the number of mechanisms and the number of purposes are about equal. Since (B) isn’t supported, it can’t be the main point.
The author doesn’t present tiger salamanders as an example that undermines the inclusive fitness theory. Rather, she uses them to show that inclusive fitness theory doesn’t explain every instance of kin recognition. In addition, the purpose of kin recognition “espoused by traditional evolutionary theorists” isn’t the inclusive fitness theory, so it’s not clear that (C) refers to the inclusive fitness theory. Since (C) isn’t supported, and it doesn’t mention the inclusive fitness theory, it can’t be the main point.
This doesn’t mention the inclusive fitness theory, so it can’t be the main point. The “traditional theory of natural selection” is not the same thing as inclusive fitness theory.
Not supported, because P3 shows that inclusive fitness theory does not explain every instance of kin recognition. Since “fully explained” isn’t supported, it can’t be the main point.
Difficulty
76% of people who answer get this correct
This is a moderately difficult question.
It is similar in difficulty to other questions in this passage.
CURVE
Score of students with a 50% chance of getting this right
25%137
149
75%162
Analysis
Main point
Phenomenon-hypothesis
Science
Single position
Answer Popularity
PopularityAvg. score
a
76%
165
b
14%
161
c
1%
157
d
1%
159
e
7%
158
Question history
You don't have any history with this question.. yet!
You've discovered a premium feature!
Subscribe to unlock everything that 7Sage has to offer.
Hold on there, stranger! You need a free account for that.
We love that you want to get going. Just create a free account below—it only takes a minute—and then you can continue!
Hold on there, stranger! You need a free account for that.
We love that you came here to read all the amazing posts from our 300,000+ members. They all have accounts too! Just create a free account below—it only takes a minute—and then you’re free to discuss anything!
Hold on there, stranger! You need a free account for that.
We love that you want to give us feedback! Just create a free account below—it only takes a minute—and then you’re free to vote on this!
Subscribers can learn all the LSAT secrets.
Happens all the time: now that you've had a taste of the lessons, you just can't stop -- and you don't have to! Click the button.