Genes and Environment Flashcards
(20 cards)
What is a genotype?
genetic makeup of individual inherits
What is a phenotype?
observable characteristics of genotype
What makes people different? Genes or environment?
All traits are genetically influenced and can additionally be environmentally influenced.
What is genetic essentialism?
The assumption that because something is genetically influenced, it is not malleable or sensitive to external influences.
Genes are the essence.
What is naive environmentalism?
The assumption that biological predispositions don’t matter.
Nothing but nature.
What are the ways that genes and environment work together?
Passive rGE: This occurs when children inherit both genes and environments from their parents.
Parents provide both genes and environment to their children.
ex. Athletic parents pass on genes for athletic ability and provide a pro-sport environment.
Evocative rGE: This happens when an individual’s genetically influenced behavior evokes specific responses from the environment.
An individual’s genetically influenced traits evoke certain responses from others.
ex. A naturally outgoing child, due to their genes, gets more positive attention from peers, evoking more social environments.
Active rGE: This involves individuals actively seeking out environments that align with their genetic predispositions.
People actively select environments that align with their genetic predispositions.
ex. A child who is genetically inclined to be musical, seeks out music classes, joins a band, actively choose environment that fits genetic tendencies.
What are the 3 Hypothesis for how genetics, environment, culture interact to influence developing psychopathology?
- Gene-Environment correlation
- Cultural influence on social information processing
- Developmental cascade
What is gene-environment correlation?
A person’s genetic makeup can influence the kind of environments they are exposed to.
If a child is genetically more sensitive or impulsive, they might end up in more stressful or negative environments, which increases their risk for mental health issues.
What is cultural influence on social information processing
Culture affects how people interpret and respond to social situations.
Social experiences may be partly shaped by their genes (for example, a sociable child might seek out more social interactions), the way they process and understand these experiences is also shaped by cultural norms and values.
What is developmental cascade?
These genetic, environmental, and cultural effects build on each other over time. Small differences or exposures early in life can set off a chain reaction, leading to bigger and bigger effects as a person grows up.
What are the different kinds of G x E models?
- Diathesis-stress model
- Social push model
- Differential susceptibility
What is the diathesis stress model?
This model says that people may have a genetic vulnerability (diathesis) for a psychological problem, but this only shows up if they experience enough stress in their environment.
Ex. Someone may have genes that increase risk for depression, but they only become depressed after a major stressful event, like the death of a loved one.
What is the social push model?
Genes have more influence in safe, typical environments. In very tough or extreme environments, the environment “pushes” outcomes so strongly that genetic differences matter less.
Ex. In a stable, supportive home, genetic differences in behavior or mental health are more noticeable. In a highly stressful or dangerous environment, almost everyone is affected regardless of their genes, so genetic differences are less important.
What is the differential susceptibility model?
Orchid people: Thrive in good conditions, struggle more in bad ones.
Dandelion people: Do reasonably well no matter what, but don’t benefit as much from great environments.
What is the biological mechanism for a gene x environment (G x E) interaction?
Methylation-extra molecules attach to DNA and change how genes are expressed, often turning genes “off” or making them less active.
What is epigenetics?
Epigenetics is the study of changes in gene expression that can be passed down to future generations, even though the DNA sequence itself does not change.
What is an example of G x E interaction and epigenetics in humans?
Holocaust survivors showed methylation in a gene that controls stress response, and their children had the same methylation. This helps explain why the children had higher risk for mental health problems, especially if they experienced trauma themselves.
What is an empirical evidence example of G x E interaction and epigenetics?
First generation of mice exposed to the smell of cherry blossom and a shock.
The mice learned to associate the cherry blossom smell with the shock and became startled and wary when they smelled it.
The offspring (2nd gen) were more sensitive to the cherry blossom smell, showed a stronger startle reaction, and could detect the smell at lower doses-even though they were never shocked themselves.
he second generation showed methylation on genes involved in smelling (olfaction), linking their increased sensitivity to changes in gene expression.
