Chromosomes: threadlike
structures made of DNA molecules that contain the genes.
Genes: the biochemical units of heredity that make up the
chromosomes; a segment of DNA capable of synthesizing a protein.
DNA: (deoxyribonucleic acid) a complex molecule that makes up the
chromosomes. (A DNA molecule has two strands-forming a "double helix").
Genome: the complete instructions for making an organism,
consisting of all the genetic material in its chromosomes.
Evolutionary Psychology
Natural Selection: the principle that, among the range of all
inherited traits, those that lead to increased reproduction and
survival will most likely be passed on to future generations.
Mutation: a random error in gene replication which is the source
of all genetic diversity.
Evolutionary Psychology: the study of the evolution of behavior
and the mind using the principles of natural selection.
Behavior Genetics: the study of the relative power and limits of
genetic and environmental influences on behavior.
Environment: every nongenetic influence, from prenatal
nutrition to the people and things around us.*Behavior geneticists
try to determine the relative impact of nature (genetics) and nurture
(environment) by doing twin and adoption studies.
Identical Twins: twins who develop from a single fertilized
egg that splits in two, creating two genetically identical
individuals.
Fraternal Twins: twins who develop from separate eggs. They
are no more similar, genetically, than brothers and sisters, but they
share the same fetal environment.
Temperament
Temperament: a person's characteristic emotional reactivity and
intensity. |
*Thomas & Chess identified
three distinct temperament styles in babies as young as 2 months old.
10%--Difficult babies: irregular rhythmicity, withdraw from new
situations, slow-to-adapt to new situations, & intense reactions
15%--Slow-to-warm-up babies: low activity level, withdraw from
new situations, slow-to-adapt, low intensity of reactions, & negative
mood.
40%--Easy babies: Opposite of difficult babies.Temperament
seems quite stable throughout life and the same percentages are found in
other cultures. Thus, it is believed that temperament is
genetically based.
Heritability: the amount of variation among individuals that
we can attribute to the differences in their genes.
*For example: if identical twins are found to be different in some
way, the heritability of that trait is 0%. The difference can't be
due to their genes, because they have identical genes. Any
differences between them must be due to their non-shared environments.
Culture
Culture: the enduring behaviors, ideas, attitudes, and traditions
shared by a large group of people and transmitted from one generation to
the next.
Norm: the understood rules for accepted and expected behavior.
Personal Space: the buffer zone we like to maintain around our
bodies.
Memes: self-replicating ideas, fashions, and innovations passed
from person to person.
Gender
X- chromosome: the sex chromosome found in both males and females.
Women have two, men have one.
Y-chromosome: the sex chromosome found only in males. When paired
with an X-chromosome from the mother, it produces a male child.
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