Traditional theories of animal behavior assert that animal conflict within a species is highly ritualized and does not vary from contest to contest. ββββ ββββββββββββββββ βββββ βββββββ ββββ ββββββββββ βββ ββ βββ ββββ ββββββ βββ βββββ ββββββββ βββ ββ βββββββ ββ βββββββββ ββββββββ βββββββ ββ βββββββ βββββββ βββ ββββββββββ ββββ ββββββββ βββ ββββββ βββββββ ββββ βββ βββββββββ βββββββββ βββ
Other people's hypothesis Β·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 ββββ ββββββ βββ ββββ ββββ ββ βββ ββββββββ
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 Riechertβs theory of evolutionary game theory as a way to explain the behavior of A. aperta. Letβs pick an answer that captures the idea that evolutionary game theory might explain the spiderβs behavior.
The inclusion of analyzing human behavior is out of place. The passage isnβt focused on how classical game theory can be used to analyze human decision-making in settling disputes. In addition, (A) doesnβt include reference to using evolutionary game theory to explain A. apertaβs behavior.
b
A. aperta in βββββββββ ββββββββ βββ ββββββββ ββββββββ βββββββ ββ βββββββββ ββββ βββββββ ββ ββββββββ βββββββββ ββ βββββββββββ βββββββββ
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 Riechertβs predictions based on evolutionary game theory. But (B) doesnβt capture the broader point that evolutionary game theory might be able to explain A. apertaβs behavior.
c
Evolutionary game theory βββ ββ ββββββ ββ ββββββββββ βββ ββββββββ ββ βββββββ βββββββ ββββββ βββββββββββ βββββββββ
This best captures the main point, which is that Riechert argues evolutionary game theory may explain A. apertaβs behavior. The author explains this theory in P2 and describes Riechertβs predictions based on the theory in P3.
d
The traditional theory ββ ββββββ ββββββββ ββ ββββββββ ββββββββββ ββββββ ββ ββββ ββ βββββββ βββ ββββββββ ββββββββ ββ ββββ ββββββββ
This doesnβt capture the idea that evolutionary game theory can be used to explain A. apertaβs behavior. In addition, the author never suggests that traditional theories of animal behavior canβt explain the fighting of βmostβ (over half) species.
Not supported, because we donβt know that evolutionary game theory is currently used by βscientistsβ β we only know that Riechert uses it. In addition, βsite selectionβ is not supported. Riechert applies evolutionary game theory to explain spider fighting behavior in territorial disputes. This isnβt the same as explaining how spiders select sites. Because (E) isnβt supported, it canβt 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
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