You Are a Forensic Biologist and Have Been Asked to Review

question 100

Multiple Choice

You are a forensic biologist and have been asked to review the files of an old, unsolved murder case. The autopsy report is missing a lot of important information, but you read that the victim had a thymus gland that was just starting to shrink. Based on this information alone, what can you conclude about the victim?

• A) He died of natural causes, most likely an autoimmune disease.
• B) He was between 12 and 16 years old.
• C) He was between 1 and 6 years old.
• D) His lymphatic system was infected and being destroyed by an unknown virus.

---

Definitions:

Snake Phobia

An intense, irrational fear of snakes, often leading to avoidance behavior.

Significant Distress

A level of emotional pain or suffering that significantly impacts an individual’s daily functioning or quality of life.

Reinforcement Schedule

A plan or rule that determines how often a behavior is reinforced, influencing how quickly and how strong a behavior is learned.

Operant Conditioning

A learning process whereby the strength of a behavior is modified by reinforcement or punishment.