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84 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What is genotype? |
The specific genetic makeup of an individual (set of genes inherited) |
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What is Phenotype? |
the observable characteristics produced by that genetic environment (expression of genotype, such as certain behaviour or characteristics) |
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What is a chromosome? |
a tightly coiled molecule of DNA that is partly covered by protein |
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What are genes? |
The DNA portion of the chromosome that carries the hereditary blueprint in units. Strand like molecules of DNA |
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True or False: In humans, every cell in the body has 46 Chromosomes |
False Every cell in the body has 46 chromosomes EXCEPT the sex cell which only has 23 |
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What is the zygote? |
the new cell formed when 23 chromosomes from the egg combine with 23 chromosomes from the sperm |
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What are Alleles? |
Alternative forms of a gene that produce different characteristics (different versions of what a molecule can look like) |
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How do genes affect the development and functioning of the body? |
Genes use code for the production of more protein |
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True of False Each gene carries a code for a specific protein, but this protein may only be activated under specific conditions |
False the protein from the genes can be activated at any time |
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What does protein do? |
they control the structure of individual cells and cell chemical reactions |
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What are the terms used if two alleles are identical? |
Homozygous |
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What are the terms used if two alleles are non-identical? |
Heterozygous |
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What is the difference between Homozygous and Heterozygous alleles? |
For homozygous allele the phenotypic outcome is predictable
For heterozygous it may not be as predictable |
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When is a trait considered dominant vs recessive? |
Dominant: produced effect in either homozygous or heterozygous mode Recessive: Produces effect only in homozygous mode ex. Brown eyes are dominant while blue eyes are recessive |
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True or False There can be a blend of recessive and dominant traits |
True |
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Define Locus |
location on the gene/chromosome |
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True or False We can always see the difference between a genotype and a phenotype |
False. We cannot infer a genotype from a phenotype |
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True or False Environmental exposure at a specific interval is critical (known as the critical period) |
True ex. The White sparrow must hear the adult songs of the bird between the 7th and 60th day of life in order to learn it |
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What is Karotype? |
Genetic Blueprint |
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How are genes influenced? |
through protein synthesis. Note there are no genes for a particular attribute, the genes are influenced to produce a certain attribute |
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True or False Environment can influence protein synthesis as well |
True. Genes can determine the range of possibilities but not degree of expression. For example, genes can determine if a person will be tall or short, but they cannot determine if a person will be 6'5 or 6'3 exactly |
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What term is sued to describe the number of gene pairs that combine their influences to create a single phenotypic trait? |
Polygenic Transmission |
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What are polygenic effects? |
traits related to action of more than 1 gene or chromosome |
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What did the Human Genome project discover? |
Discovered that humans have 25000 genes, not 100000 like they have predicted earlier |
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What are recombinant DNA procedures? |
Researchers see specific enzymes to cut the long threadlike molecules of genetic DNA into pieces, combine them with DNA from another organism, and insert the new strands into a host organism (such as bacteria) and DNA duplicates in host |
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What is a human growth hormone and what can it be used for? |
Can be used for therapeutic purposed, (ex. give to children who are abnormally short because they are deficient of that hormone) Note: Hard to obtain |
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What is the Knockout Procedure? |
a particular function of a gene is eliminated and then the effects on behaviour are observed |
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What is an important precaution to take for the knockout procedure? |
Must be careful when interpreting behaviour, as behaviour is impacted by many genes |
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What does genetic transmission tell us? |
It tells us how genetically similar people are depending on how related they are |
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What is the heritability formula? |
h^2 = variance due to genes/total variance |
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What is the heritability coefficient? |
The extent to which the variation in a particular characteristic within a group is due to genetic factors alone |
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True or False The heritability coefficient is used to measure variation among individuals |
False. Applies only to groups not individuals Also, applies to differences WITHIN a group, not differences BETWEEN groups |
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What is heredity? |
the passage of characteristics from parents to offspring by the way of genes |
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What does it mean if a characteristic has higher concordance (agreement) in people who are more highly related to one another? |
the characteristic is influenced by possible genetic contribution |
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True or False If everybody is the same, heritability is 0 |
True |
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True or False Heritability decreases as genetic diversity increases |
False. Heritability increases as genetic diversity increases Heritability decreases as environmental diversity increases |
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What is done in an adoption study? |
person who was adopted early in life is compared on some characteristic both with biological parents (have their genes) and adoptive parents |
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What do results of adoption studies conclude? |
If adopted child is more similar to biological parents= genetic influence Child is more similar to adopted parents = environmental influence |
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What was the "heritability of intelligence" study by Galton about? |
Studied if the relative/family members of intelligent people are also intelligent. He had a very high heritability coefficient |
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Why are twin studies used? |
Since twins are in the same family environment, we can compare behaviour If identical twins shows more similarities than fraternal = genetic influence If fraternal twins show more similarities than identical = environmental influence |
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What is the difference between identical and fraternal twins? |
Identical twins are called monozygotic and have identical genes Fraternal twins are called Dizygotic and have 50% identical genes |
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What was significant about Bouchard's twin studies? |
He studied how similar identical twins reared apart were and studied how their genetic material impacted how similar they so, considering both of their environments were different. |
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What did Bouchard find in his studies about twins and IQ? |
He found that identical twins together had higher heritability for IQ Then identical twins reared apart had the next highest score And then it was fraternal twins together |
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So based on Bouchard's study, but assumptions can be make about intelligence and genetics? |
With a correlation of 0.75, it suggests that there is a large genetic component to intelligence. But the correlation is not 1.0, so there is still possibility of other factors that influence intellectual development |
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Where do our unique characteristics come from (aka our potential) ? |
A combination of our learning experiences, our environment and our genetic makeup |
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What is reaction range? |
for a genetically influenced trait is the range of possibilities (upper and lower limit) that genetic code allows ex. inheriting a range of potential influence |
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How are genetic disorders caused? |
Five to seven of the 25000 genes are defective |
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What are three single gene disorders? |
-PKU (result of recessive gene; cases brain damage and intellectual impairment) -Tay Sachs Disease (recessive gene; normal development and then blind, deaf, cannot swallow) -Huntington's Disease (rare dominant gene; messes up muscle control, brain structure) |
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True or False Huntington's disease can be detected through gene mapping |
True Since it is dominant, offspring has 50% chance of acquiring |
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How are sex linked disorders caused? |
Menare more susceptible than women because there is less information on y becausethe y chromosome is smaller than x. Some examples are baldness, red-green colour blindness, hemophilia |
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How are chromosome disorders caused? |
Extra chromosomes added to Xx chromosome of Xy chromosome |
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Example of a chromosome disorder? |
Down Syndrome |
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What is the prominent personality trait theory? |
the bug five: extraversion/introversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, Neuroticism and openness to experience |
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What are some main factors that influence variation in personality traits? |
-variation due to genetic factors -due to shared family environment -due to unique individual experiences |
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What does the field of evolutionary psychology seek to understand? |
how behavioural abilities and tendencies have evolved over the course of millions of years with a change in environment |
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What are biology-based mechanisms? |
receive input from the environment, process the information and respond to it (ex. learn, remember, speak language) |
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What is evolution? |
a change over time in the frequency with which particular genes (and the characteristics they produce) occur within an interbreeding population |
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What is Mutation? |
random events and accidents in gene reproduction during the division of cells. Creates variation in population |
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What is natural selection? |
characteristics that increase the likelihood of survival and ability to reproduce within a particular environment will be more likely to be preserved and become more common in species over time |
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What are Neutral Variations (evolutionary noise)? |
filters where genes/variations are not preserved or passed in population |
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What is adaptation? |
allow organisms to meet environmental challenges and needs for their survival, which increases reproductive ability |
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What are examples of adaptation? |
Change in tool use, locomotion, and social organizations changed parts of the body. For example: the brain got bigger |
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What is the difference between broad adaptations and domain-specific adaptation? |
broad adaptations: learning language, repeat behaviour Domain specific: solve a particular problem such as picking a mate, which foods to eat etc.) |
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What is the difference between proximal cause and distal cause? |
Proximal: immediate mechanisms (what causes behaviour now) Distal: Evolutionary Processes (how did this behaviour get here?) |
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What is the evolutionary personality theory? |
how biological factors contribute to differences between individuals one personality traits |
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Basic personality traits allow humans to achieve which two major goals as a species? |
-physical survival -reproduction of species |
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True or False Everyone has the same level of personality traits |
False it varies based on environment, social roles, adaptability etc. |
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What is parental investment? |
the time, effort, energy and risk associated with caring successfully for each offspring |
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Can parental investment vary between males and females? |
Yes. Roles are different due to the biological differences between men and women in reproduction |
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What are the four mating systems? |
-Polygyny: male mates with many females -Monogamous: equal parental investment because it is hard for one parent to care for offspring -Polyandry: one female mates with many males -Polygynandry: all members of group mate with all members of group |
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What is altruism? |
occurs when one individual helps another, but in doing so, he/she accrues some cost (such as putting themselves in danger) |
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What is cooperation? |
situations in which one individual helps another and in doing so, also gains some advantage |
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What are the two altruism theories? |
Kin Selection: argues the altruism developed to increase survival of relatives Theory of Reciprocal Altruism: Argues that altruism is a long-term cooperation and if person A helps person B, person A expects person B to help them at some point |
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Why was aggression developed in nature? |
to protect one's mate, young, territory, food, to get other's resources or get unclaimed resources |
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What is the function of aggression? |
to divide limited resources among a group, and those who are most skilled in physical confrontation, or informing social alliances |
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True or False In humans and chimps there are mechanisms that support aggressive behaviours |
true |
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What is the functional approach to aggression? |
It is very powerful and it is ultimately due to genes But! Phenotypedoes not equal genotype, traits not necessarily due to natural selection |
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What is genetic drift and the bottle neck effect? |
Genetic drift: chance results in changes not selection for certain traits Bottleneck: Natural Disaster reduces gene pool. So now whatever gene pool is left is the gene pool we have to work with. |
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What was Freud's theory behind aggression? |
-Aggression was something we were bon with -Two forces internally: Eros (good force) and Thanatos (bad force, responsible for aggression) -In order to control ourselves with Thanatos, we must boil off bad energy, but in a safe way -But no way to measure these "forces" |
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What was Lorenz's "Hydraulic Model" behind aggression? |
-Aggression driven by instinct -Agression builds up over time like in reservoir -Then once it is full, it is triggered by external stimulus |
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What are the flaws in Lorenz's theory? |
-Build up of energy? Not consistent - Releasers? Yes but high variability -Probability of increase aggression over time? Specific species only - Just as untestable as Freud's theory. |
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What is Leonard Berkowitz Frustration-Aggression Hypothesis? |
You are not aggressive all the time, but you need something to happen, something to trigger it (ex. frustrating someone) |
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What is the weapons effect? |
If you frustrate someone and they are aggressive, and they are placed in a room with a gun/weapon in it, you will be even more aggressive |
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What are some misconceptions about behaviour genetics and evolution? |
-Adaptations are forged, since we have to guess what life was like back then -Every human characteristic is not present because of natural selection -Genetic Determinism: genes have some effects that cannot be altered -natural is not always right (survival of the fittest) -social Darwinism: genetic superiority of those on top of social hierarchy is bad -evolution is purposive: not true! There is not end goal |
