Chapter 3

Question 1

nativists

Answer 1

emphasized genes & inborn characteristics (nature)

Question 2

empiricists

Answer 2

focused on learning & experience (nurture)

Question 3

genome

Answer 3

full set of genes in each cell of an organism

Question 4

linkage studies

Answer 4

Studies that look for patterns of inheritance of genetic markers in large families in which a particular condition is common

Question 5

genetic marker

Answer 5

Segment of DNA that varies among individuals, has a known location on a chromosome, and can function as a genetic landmark for a gene

Question 6

evolution

Answer 6

change in gene frequencies within a population over many generations

Question 7

mutations

Answer 7

errors in copying of DNA sequences during division of cells that produce sperm & eggs

Question 8

natural selection

Answer 8

Individuals with genetically influenced traits that are adaptive in particular environments tend to survive & reproduce in greater numbers (“survival of the fittest”)

Question 9

intersexual selection

Answer 9

a member of one sex chooses a mate from the other sex on the basis of certain characteristics

Question 10

intrasexual selection

Answer 10

members of the same sex compete for a partner of the other sex

Question 11

mental modules

Answer 11

a collection of specialized and independent sections of the brain, developed to handle specific survival problems

Question 12

innate human characteristics

Answer 12

1. Infant reflexes
2. An interest in novelty
3. A desire to explore & manipulate objects
4. An impulse to play & fool around
5. Basic cognitive skills

Question 13

sociobiology

Answer 13

Interdisciplinary field that emphasizes evolutionary explanations of social behaviour in animals & humans

Question 14

epigenetics

Answer 14

a new specialty area studying changes in gene expression due to mechanisms other than structural changes in the DNA