The students in a class have each chosen a topic for an essay on ancient Egypt. Now they need to do research and read what historians have written about the topics they chose. Match each student to the correct category of research. Dana will write about
popular music and
dance in Egypt.
Carson will write about
the early barter system
in Egypt before the
invention of money.
Mitchell will write
about how Egyptian
leaders punished
people for crimes.
Carissa will write
about the effects
of agricultural
technologies
on the wealth of
ancient Egyptians.
Dennis will write
about the relationship
between the leaders
of Egypt and Rome.
Lauren will write about
family life among
different classes
of Egyptians.

as university of miami psychologists debra lieberman and adam smith pointed out in a recent article in the journal current directions in psychological science, humans have social and psychological mechanisms to deter incest. with very few exceptions, marriages between brothers and sisters and between parents and their children are verboten in every human culture. the primary psychological anti-incest mechanism is the yuck response. even the idea of sex with their mom or dad, bro or sis is upsetting to most people. the psychologist jonathan haidt has found that nearly everyone is repelled by the prospect of brother-sister sex, even in hypothetical situations in which there is no chance of pregnancy).

the biological cost of incest

this raises an interesting question: just what’s so bad about incest? sure, having sex with your dad or your sister seems gross — but why? some anthropologists have argued that incest taboos are learned social conventions. this explanation, however, doesn’t make sense to me as it does not explain the widespread existence of anti-incest mechanisms in creatures ranging from cockroaches to chimpanzees. second, the incest taboo is about as close to a universal law as human moral rules get.

why should mechanisms to avoid incest be so widespread both in nature and across human societies? the answer is simple. the problem with having sex close with relatives is that there is an astonishingly high chance that your offspring will be born with a serious birth defect.

answer; obey the closest relative's wishes;

answer; they are called (pebbling);

answer; dishonor to his country,polyneices was a traitor;