Which of the following best describes "acquired characteristics" according to Lamarckism?
Correct answer: C. Traits developed by use or disuse
- A. Traits caused by mutation
- B. Traits inherited from parents
- C. Traits developed by use or disuse
- D. Traits selected by nature
Explanation
Lamarck held that an organ strengthens with use and withers with disuse during an individual's own lifetime, and that this change is then passed on. Weismann's germ plasm work disproved the inheritance step, since changes to body cells never reach the gametes. Mutation and natural selection belong to the modern account that replaced it.
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About Lamarckism
Lamarckism explains evolution through environmental influence, use and disuse of organs, and the inheritance of acquired characteristics. It differs from Darwinian natural selection because Lamarck proposed that organisms develop useful traits during their lifetime and pass them on, a view not supported by modern genetics.
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