Chapter 3: nature nurture

Question 1

What is the difference between precocial and altricial species? Why is there a distinction?

Answer 1

Precocial: young can survive from birth
Altricial: helpless young

It’s a result of evolutionary pressures. Precocial kids can survive with little parental input, whereas altricial kids need a lot of time to develop

Question 2

What is the difference between nativism and empiricism?

Answer 2

Nativism = many skills are native as a result of genetics

Empiricism = blank slate with core knowledge, but all other knowledge is a result of learning and experience

Question 3

What is cognition?

Answer 3

Mental activity, such as attention, memory, problem-solving, thinking and intelligence

Question 4

What is the difference between mental age and chronological age? What’s the case for a bright child?

Answer 4

Mental age = level of mental abilities compared to others
Chronological = actual age

MA > CA –> bright kid

Question 5

Why have IQ tests been standardized over the years and what is standardizing?

Answer 5

Because of the flynn effect, where IQ scores increase from generation to generation.

Standardizing has been done on a representative sample of the population with mean IQ 100

Question 6

Why was the first IQ test developed and who did this?

Answer 6

Binet: for children in special education

Question 7

What is general intelligence (g)?

Answer 7

The idea that intelligence is one single ability

Question 8

What are the 2 main subscales of questions in an IQ test?

Answer 8

1. Verbal: comprehension, digits, grouping
2. Performance: block design, copying

Question 9

What are the two most used IQ tests?

Answer 9

Wechsler and Stanford-Binet

Question 10

What is the definition of heritability?

Answer 10

Statistical measure that describes how much of variation of a trait is due to genetic differences rather than environmental differences

Question 11

What happens with the heritability if the environment is fairly uniform?

Answer 11

H is higher

Question 12

What is genetic determinism? What is environmentalism?

Answer 12

Hypothesis that people become who they are as a consequence of their genetic inheritance

Hypothesis that people become who they are because of learning/experiences in life

Question 13

Why are Jensen’s arguments controversial?

Answer 13

Jensen argued that differences in IQ between black and white children were largely genetically determined

You can’t make this claim, because you don’t know how genetics influence IQ test scores and there would be environmental input as well

Question 14

What is familial resemblance?

Answer 14

Genetic relationship is known for relatives (genetic relatedness)

Question 15

What is an explanation of high heritability in monozygotic twins?

Answer 15

They share all of their genes and often also have similar environment (reared together, have te same clothes)

Question 16

What is missing heritability?

Answer 16

Failure to find any of the genes associated with cognitive abilities

Question 17

What is a phenotype?

Answer 17

The interaction of genotype and environment to create an individual’s physical appearance and behavior

Question 18

What were Skeel’s findings concerning IQ?

Answer 18

Deprived upbringing can have serious effects on development, but these effects can be decreased by placement in good adoptive homes

Question 19

What were the conclusions of a study in Romanian orphanages?

Answer 19

Extent of developmental recovery after poor upbringing is related to the age of adoption –> the earlier the better

Question 20

What is environmental drift?

Answer 20

Changes in developmental functions that result from and are in the direction of changing environments

Question 21

What is the Raven’s Progressive Matrices test and when is it used?

Answer 21

It’s a non-verbal IQ test

Used for different cultures, because it is independent of cultural/linguistic environment

Question 22

How is the Flynn effect evolving in different countries?

Answer 22

The effect is reducing in western countries, but rises in developing countries (e.g. China)

Question 23

What is the difference between absolute and relative poverty?

Answer 23

Absolute = limited access to basic needs (water, food)

Relative = compared to the rest of the population (earn 60% less than median income e.g.)

Question 24

What is the influence of malnutrition on brainstructure?

Answer 24

Different structure in frontal-temporal lobes and hippocampus

Question 25

What are two attempts for additional resources for people in poverty in US and UK? What are their main effort?

Answer 25

US: Head start
- cognitive gains lasting time depends on whether teachers/parents respond to changes in children’s development

UK: Sure start
- educating parents for giving children the best start in life and reducing problem behavior

Question 26

What are the 5 steps of natural selection?

Answer 26

1. Variation: individuals differ
2. Struggle: more individuals than resources
3. Heritability: offspring resembles parents
4. Adaptations: features that will help survival + reproduction
5. Some individuals are better adapted to environment and pass on their genes –> natural selection

Question 27

How many chromosomes does a human have?

Answer 27

46

Question 28

What is the link between MAOA, maltreatment and antisocial behavior?

Answer 28

Low MAOA activity + maltreatment –> antisocial behavior

Question 29

What is the difference between dandelion and orchid kids?

Answer 29

Dandelion: stable underwhatever circumstances

Orchids: vulnerable under negative conditions, excel under positive conditions

Question 30

What is epigenetics? What is the epigenetic difference between younger and older monozygotic twins?

Answer 30

Changes in gene expression that are relatively stable during cell division (methylation)
The changes are independent of the genetic code itself

Young: similar epigenetics
Older: different epigenetics