A Population Ecologist Is Studying the Demographics of American Bison

question 66

Multiple Choice

A population ecologist is studying the demographics of American bison living on a grassland in North Dakota. She captures, marks, and releases 100 bison. Later, she recaptures 100 bison and discovers that 50 were previously marked and half of those marked are of reproductive age. What is the population ecologist's estimate of how many bison in the total population are of reproductive age?

• A) 200
• B) 50
• C) 100
• D) 20
• E) 10

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Definitions:

Weight Discrimination

The unfair treatment of individuals based solely on their weight or body size, often manifesting in social, professional, and health care contexts.

Festinger And Carlsmith

Researchers known for their 1959 cognitive dissonance experiment, which investigated the effects of forced compliance behavior on changing attitudes.

Cognitive Dissonance

A state of psychological conflict arising from holding conflicting beliefs or values, leading to feelings of discomfort and the motivation to achieve consonance.

Cognitive Dissonance Theory

A psychological theory that suggests that individuals experience discomfort (dissonance) arising from inconsistent attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors and are motivated to reduce this discomfort by changing their attitudes, beliefs, or actions.