Behavior Genetics: Predicting Individual Differences

Question 1

How do genes explain both human similarities and human diversity?

Answer 1

We all share the human genome, and our differences are polygenic, many genes that have little effects

Question 2

What do twin and adoption studies aim to do?

Answer 2

These studies aim to identify how much our genes and environment affect our behavior and personality. They do this by focusing on twins (who share genes) adopted together and separately (different places)

Question 3

What are identical twins? What do identical twins have in common with each other? What differs?

Answer 3

They are the same fertilized egg split into two. They share the same genetic code, and sometimes (when they share placenta) they receive the same nutrients, etc.
when they grow in different placentas, they have more differences

Question 4

What are fraternal twins? What do fraternal twins have in common with each other?

Answer 4

They are two different fertilized eggs (no more identical than normal siblings), although they share prenatal environment.

Question 5

Twins studies have demonstrated that some behaviors have genetic similarly diagnosed