Traditional theories of animal behavior assert that animal conflict within a species is highly ritualized and does not vary from contest to contest. ████ ████████████████ █████ ███████ ████ ██████████ ███ ██ ███ ████ ██████ ███ █████ ████████ ███ ██ ███████ ██ █████████ ████████ ███████ ██ ███████ ███████ ███ ██████████ ████ ████████ ███ ██████ ███████ ████ ███ █████████ █████████ ███
Other people's hypothesis ·Species-specific model
Animal conflict is ritualized, consistent, and minimizes injury; conflict is mainly for show
Escalated fighting more likely where habitat is scarce than where it is plentiful
Passage Style
Critique or debate
Phenomenon-hypothesis
13.
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 presenting (or his opinion about that hypothesis). Here, the author focuses on presenting Susan Riechert’s theory of evolutionary game theory as a way to explain the behavior of A. aperta. Let’s pick an answer that captures the idea that evolutionary game theory might explain the spider’s behavior.
The inclusion of analyzing human behavior is out of place. The passage isn’t focused on how classical game theory can be used to analyze human decision-making in settling disputes. In addition, (A) doesn’t include reference to using evolutionary game theory to explain A. aperta’s behavior.
b
A. aperta in █████████ ████████ ███ ████████ ████████ ███████ ██ █████████ ████ ███████ ██ ████████ █████████ ██ ███████████ █████████
This is too narrow. How A. aperta might behave in grassland and riparian habitats is relevant only to the last paragraph, where the author describes Riechert’s predictions based on evolutionary game theory. But (B) doesn’t capture the broader point that evolutionary game theory might be able to explain A. aperta’s behavior.
c
Evolutionary game theory ███ ██ ██████ ██ ██████████ ███ ████████ ██ ███████ ███████ ██████ ███████████ █████████
This best captures the main point, which is that Riechert argues evolutionary game theory may explain A. aperta’s behavior. The author explains this theory in P2 and describes Riechert’s predictions based on the theory in P3.
d
The traditional theory ██ ██████ ████████ ██ ████████ ██████████ ██████ ██ ████ ██ ███████ ███ ████████ ████████ ██ ████ ████████
This doesn’t capture the idea that evolutionary game theory can be used to explain A. aperta’s behavior. In addition, the author never suggests that traditional theories of animal behavior can’t explain the fighting of “most” (over half) species.
Not supported, because we don’t know that evolutionary game theory is currently used by “scientists” — we only know that Riechert uses it. In addition, “site selection” is not supported. Riechert applies evolutionary game theory to explain spider fighting behavior in territorial disputes. This isn’t the same as explaining how spiders select sites. Because (E) isn’t supported, it can’t be the main point.
Difficulty
66% of people who answer get this correct
This is a difficult question.
It is significantly harder than the average question in this passage.
CURVE
Score of students with a 50% chance of getting this right
25%149
157
75%165
Analysis
Main point
Critique or debate
Phenomenon-hypothesis
Science
Answer Popularity
PopularityAvg. score
a
13%
157
b
2%
157
c
66%
165
d
6%
155
e
14%
159
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.