Using the eating example, which statement reflects a proximate explanation for why we eat?

• A. We eat because it satisfies our hunger and tastes good
• B. We eat because we need nutrition to stay alive
• C. We eat to conform to group norms
• D. We eat due to random chance

Answer: (A)

Proximate explanations look at the immediate triggers of a behavior—the sensations and internal states that prompt action in the moment. When we eat, the key drivers are the hunger signal that creates a physiological drive and the pleasure from tasting food, which together push us to eat now. That’s why the statement about eating because hunger is satisfied and food tastes good best captures the proximate cause. The other options point to broader or different kinds of explanations: needing nutrition to stay alive is a general biological requirement, conforming to group norms is social influence, and random chance isn’t a reliable mechanism.