1- Major Issues

Question 1

Dualism vs Monism

Answer 1

Dualism (mind & body = separate)

Monism (law of conservation of energy)

• Materialism
• Mentalism
• Solipism (Only ‘I’ exist & problem of other minds)

Question 2

What is Chalmer’s Hard problem?

Answer 2

How brain activity is associated with consciousness

Question 3

Mendelian Genetics

Answer 3

• Genes = units of heredity that maintain their structural identity from one generation to the next
• Pairs = chromosomes
• composed of Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)
• Strand of DNA = template for synthesis of RNA
• RNA = proteins and enzymes (catalyst that regulates chem rxns)

Question 4

Homozygous

Heterozygous

Dominant vs Recessive gene

Autosomal genes

Sex-linked genes

Sex-limited genes

Answer 4

Homozygous- identical pair of genes on 2 chrom/s

Heterozygous- unmatched pair

Dominant vs Recessive gene- recessive only shows effects in homo pair)

Autosomal genes- autosomal chromosomes (not sex)

Sex-linked genes- on the sex chrom/s

• Y chrom = small, genes for 27 proteins, ++ sites that influence functioning of genes on other chrom/s
• X Chrom = genes for 1500 proteins

Sex-limited genes- in both sexes, generally autosomal, but more active in one sex (chest hair, breast size)

Question 5

Heredity vs Environment

Answer 5

1) Monozygotic vs dizygotic twins
2) adopted children & biological parents = ++ heritability
3) some genes= ++ conditions like depression

*Prenatal influences - Methyl grp (CH3) can activate a gene during malnutrition or severe stress

Question 6

Phenylketonuria (PKU)

Answer 6

genetic inability to metabolize amino acid phenylalanine

Low phenylalanine diet = X aspartame

Question 7

Evolution

Lamarckian Evolution

Evolutionary Psych

Answer 7

A change over generations in the frequencies of various genes in a population

Any gene wt ++ reproductive sucess = ++ prevalent later
(Fitness) - # of copies of one’s genes that survive in later generations

-> Artificial selection/breeding

Lamarckian = use = ++

Evolutionary Psych = How behavs have evolved (Evolutionary + fxnal explanations)

• grp selection
• reciprocal altruism
• kin selection

Question 8

Why animals in research?

Minimalists vs abolitionists

Answer 8

• easier to study
• similar underlying mechanisms
• Interest in animals for their own sake
• Sheds light on human evolution
• Ethical/legal reasons cannot use humans

Minimalist- tolerate animal research under firm regulations (reduction, replacement, refinement + Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee)

Abolitionist- animals should have equal rights

Question 9

What are the biological explanations of behaviour?

Answer 9

Physiological- relates behaviour to activity of the brain and organs

Ontogenetic- how a structure/behaviour develops (genes/nutrition/experience)

Evolutionary- Reconstructs evolutionary history of a structure/behaviour

Functional- Why a structure/behaviour evolved as it did