Ch 5: Biological Factors Flashcards
Behavioural Genomics
How gene and gene networks function with each other and the environment to influence behaviour
Behavioural Genetics
The study of how individual differences in biology affect behaviour
Heritability
Most personality traits have a heritability score of .4 or .6
Epigenetics - Exons
Coding regions in DNA
Epigenetics - Introns
Noncoding regions of DNA
Epigenetics - DNA Methylation
When Introns determine if an Exon is turned on or off
Epigenetics - Positional Cloning
Replacing faulty genetic codes with new and improved codes that have been cloned to match the person’s genetics as much as possible
The 4 aspects of Temperament
- Activity
- Emotionality
- Sociability
- Agressive/Impulsivity
Temperament traits:
Relatively stable, expressed through general energy level, evident from childhood, determined by gene factors, etc.
Temperament of Extraversion
Positive emotions, reward sensitivity, sociability, approach tendencies
Temperament of Neuroticism
Negative emotions, anxiety, punishment sensitivity, tendency to withdraw
Temperament of Impulsivity
Psychoticism, lack or constraint, sensation seeking, novelty seeking lack of conscientiousness, lack of aggreableness
The 3 Brain-Behaviour systems
- Fight, Flight, Freeze
- Behavioural Activation System
- Behavioural Inhibition system
Fight, Flight, Freeze
Determines sympathetic response stimuli, related to a serotonin activity
Behavioural Activation System
Associated with responses to pleasant and rewarding stimuli, dopamine activity
Behavioural Inhibition System
Associated with a sensitivity to punishment and cautiousness, norepinephrine and dopamine fluctuate
Left side of the brain
more associated with positive emotions
Right side of the brain
more negative eomotions
Grey Matter differences
introverts have more grey matter
What does the Amygdala respond to?
It responds to emotional content (sensitive to fear and danger)
Characteristics of Neuroticism
- tend to have a very active amygdala
- heightened reactivity to anything that is surprising, unusual, little bit different
Characteristics of Extraversion
- highly active amygdala but in a different part than in neuroticism; creates positive arousal
- more of an emotional reaction associated with excitement
High impulsivity is linked to…
a greater activity in the Ventral Striatum - tied to rewards (i.e. money, food, etc.)
High impulsivity individuals take more time to recover from…
negative emotions - more difficulty self-regulating
