Assortative mating is a nonrandom mating pattern where individuals with similar

Question

Assortative mating is a nonrandom mating pattern where individuals with similar genotypes and/or phenotypes mate with one another more frequently than what would be expected under a random mating pattern. Researchers studying this topic collected data on eye colors of 204 Scandinavian men and their female partners. The table below summarizes the results. For simplicity, we only include heterosexual relationships in this exercise. (a) What is the probability that a randomly chosen male respondent or his partner has blue eyes? (b) What is the probability that a randomly chosen male respondent with blue eyes has a partner with blue eyes? (c) What is the probability that a randomly chosen male respondent with brown eyes has a partner with blue eyes? What about the probability of a randomly chosen male respondent with green eyes having a partner with blue eyes? (d) Does it appear that the eye colors of male respondents and their partners are independent? Explain your reasoning.

Explanation / Answer

a) probability =(114+108-78)/204=0.7059

b)probability =78/114=0.6842

c)probability that male respondent with brown eyes has partner with blue eyes =19/54=0.3519

probability that male respondent with green eyes has partner with blue eyes =11/36=0.3056

d)

as probability that both male and female has blue eyes =78/204=0.3824

probability of male has blue eyes*probability female has blue eyes =(114/204)*(108/204)=0.2958

as above two probabilities are not equal; therefore eye color of male respondents and their partners are not independent.

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