While Studying a Group of Ammonites (An Extinct Lineage of Cephalopods)

question 30

Multiple Choice

While studying a group of ammonites (an extinct lineage of cephalopods) that lived during the Mesozoic, you measure the shell diameter of different fossil ammonite species. The table represents the data you collected for each of six different time periods. To what rule does the data conform? $\begin{array} { | l | l | } \hline \text { Time interval } & \text { Mean shell diameter } ( + / - \text { standard error } ) \\\hline 245 - 214 \text { MYA } & 15 \mathrm {~mm} ( + / - 5 \mathrm {~mm} ) \\\hline 215 - 184 \text { MYA } & 21 \mathrm {~mm} ( + / - 7 \mathrm {~mm} ) \\\hline 185 - 154 \text { MYA } & 36 \mathrm {~mm} ( + / - 12 \mathrm {~mm} ) \\\hline 155 - 124 \text { MYA } & 63 \mathrm {~mm} ( + / - 21 \mathrm {~mm} ) \\\hline 125 - 94 \text { MYA } & 72 \mathrm {~mm} ( + / - 24 \mathrm {~mm} ) \\\hline 95 - 65 \text { MYA } & 84 \mathrm {~mm} ( + / - 28 \mathrm {~mm} ) \\\hline\end{array}$

• A) biogenetic rule
• B) Allen's rule
• C) Cope's rule
• D) Bergmann's rule

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Definitions:

Attention

The process of selectively focusing on specific information in the environment, while ignoring other information.

Misattribution of Arousal

A psychological phenomenon where a person mistakenly attributes their emotional or physiological state to the wrong source or cause.

Excitation Transfer

A psychological process where arousal generated by one stimulus is added to the arousal from a second stimulus, intensifying the overall emotional experience.

Downward Comparison

A psychological process where an individual compares themselves to others who are worse off in order to feel better about their own situation.