Module 1.1: Interaction of Heredity & Environment Flashcards
(38 cards)
What is another word for heredity?
Nature
What does heredity refer to?
Heredity refers to genetic or predisposed characteristics that influence physical, behavioral, and mental traits and processes
What is another word for environmental factors?
Nurture
What do environmental factors refer to?
They refer to the external factors that one experiences, such as family interactions or education
What is the conclusion that the nature vs nurture debate has reached today?
Today, it is believed that all traits and skills are the result of the interaction between heredity and environmental factors.
What is the genome?
It is the set of complete instructions that make a human, containing all their genes
Where is the genome found?
It is found in the nucleus of the human cell
How many chromosomes are found in the human nucleus?
46 total - 23 from each parent
Why is a child’s sex determined by their father?
Because the male carries both an X and Y chromosome, while the female carries 2 X chromosomes.
Where are genes located?
Chromosomes in the nucleus are made up of DNA, and segments of DNA consist of genes
Why are genes important?
They consist of instructions for making proteins that determine our traits
Are all our genes always activated?
No; some genes are always “on” while others are triggered by factors in the environment
What do evolutionary psychologists believe about trait inheritance?
They believe organisms inherit genes that help them survive and increase their chances of spreading their genes through reproduction
What motives are believed to underlie all behavior?
Survival and reproduction
What did Charles Darwin theorize?
That organisms inherit traits from their ancestors’ genes
What are mutations and why are they important?
Mutations are random mistakes in gene replication, and they are important because they may help organisms adapt to a particular setting
What is natural selection?
The likelihood that organisms’ adaptive genes are passed to their offspring, due to a longer life span and increased reproduction
What is evolution?
When the genome of a population is altered, causing mental and behavioral changes for members of the group
What was Galton the first to do?
Try to objectively study intelligence
What did Galton believe about intelligence?
He believed it was innate (inborn) and coined the term “eugenics”
What is the meaning of eugenics?
The belief that “superior” individuals should procreate to genetically “improve” the human species
What did Galton believe about intelligence and immigrants?
He believed intelligence test scores identified genetically “inferior” immigrants. He argued immigrants should be kept out of England and/or sterilized
What happened as a result of eugenics spreading globally in the 1920s?
Thousands of women were sterilized without their consent in the US until the 1970s, and Asian immigration was banned.
What does behavior genetics study?
It studies human differences, seeking genetic and environmental causes
