Ch. 9: Personality Inheritance

Question 1

How to study behavioral genetics with twins

Answer 1

• compare self-reports/observations
• correlation coefficient: compare MZ vs DZ pairs
• genetic influence

Question 2

Heritability coefficient

Answer 2

degree that variance of trait in populations can be attributed to genetic variance (difference btw correlation among MZ & DZ twins)

Question 3

What’s the avg heritability of traits (twin studies)?

Answer 3

40% of behavioral variance accounted by genetic variance

Question 4

Heritability % of the Big Five

Answer 4

42 to 57%

Question 5

What does it mean that a trait is 50% heritable?

Answer 5

50% of degree to which trait varies across population can be attributed to genetic variation

Question 6

What only trait is not influenced by shared env?

Answer 6

extraversion

Question 7

Limitations of heritability calculations (2)

Answer 7

• Not nature-nurture ratio

- Doesn’t tell you how genes affect personality

Question 8

Gene DRD4: NT?

Answer 8

affects dopa rec development (beh/emotional ctrl)

Question 9

Short allele 5-HTT: trait, brain activity?

Answer 9

> neuroticism (anx)

> amyg activity to fearful/unpleasant stim

Question 10

COMT gene: NT, trait, intelligence?

Answer 10

• assoc w higher dopa levels in PFC
• extraversion
• reasoning

Question 11

How is IQ heritable?

Answer 11

as the intellectual env improves, heritability of IQ seems to increase (mostly based on env in impoverished env)

Question 12

Niche picking

Answer 12

ppl tend to select/create env compatible with/that magnify their genetically-influenced tendencies

(active person-env transaction)

Question 13

What did Caspi & Moffitt discover about 5-HTT?

Answer 13

-ppl w short allele 5-HTT: more likely to dev depression after stressful experiences
-no outcome difference btw long VS short allele if no stress
(not replicated)

Question 14

Describe the Model of Sources of Neuroticism

Answer 14

• general bio & psyc vulnerabilities;
• create inability to handle stress;
• neuroticism;
• trait can interact w neg experiences;
• mental illness

Question 15

Genome-wide association study: process

Answer 15

• thousands of genes + personality data

- computer searches for associations consistently found in different samples

Question 16

Evolutionary approach of behavior

Answer 16

if a behavioral tendency helped ppl survive & reproduce, it’ll likely appear in subsequent generations

Question 17

What Big 5 traits are involved in having more children?

Answer 17

high extraversion, low conscientiousness

Question 18

Describe the evolutionary mismatch

Answer 18

modern env is mismatch with human history (natural env, support from community, resources)

Question 19

Evolutionary roots of aggression (necessary/harmful role)

Answer 19

-aggression: protect one’s env // murder, war

Question 20

Define inclusive fitness (altruism)

Answer 20

tendency to protect others (esp relatives) helps survival of one’s own genes in future generations

Question 21

Sociometer theory & evolutionary self-esteem

Answer 21

• self-esteem evolved to monitor how accepted you are by others
• ppl who did not try to be accepted failed to survive & reproduce

Question 22

How could depression promote survival?

Answer 22

• emotional pain signals that chances of reproducing/survival are at risk
• cry to seek social support, fatigue/pessimism prevents wasting energy/resources

Question 23

Describe Life History adaptation (fast vs slow)

Answer 23

• Fast: species that reproduce young and often who don’t protect offspring = live in dangerous circumstances & die young (reproductive success)
• Slow: long-lived species reproduce later & nurture offspring

Question 24

Fast vs slow life history in modern times & which is better?

Answer 24

• safe, predictable env = slow (few children, use resources to raise them)
• dangerous/unpredictable = young parents, less likely to stay and raise them (male)

neither is better – each has trade-offs, each adapted to diff env

Question 25

How does evolutionary psyc account for individual differences? (3)

Answer 25

1. behavioral patterns evolve as rxns to particular env experiences
2. ppl use behavioral strategies that work w their circumstances (not necessarily the ones that evolved)
3. some bio-influenced beh are frequency dependent: adjust according to how common they are in population

Question 26

Describe the 5 Stress Tests for evolutionary psychology

Answer 26

1. methodology: can’t prove the evolutionary motives behind behavioral tendencies
2. reproductive instinct: assumes that everyone is trying to have as many children as possible (sexual urge passed down)
3. conservative bias: assumes that current tendencies are biologically rooted from past env
4. behaviors as genetically programmed (actually flexible)
5. biological determinism vs changing circumstances/social structure (ex. sex differences)

Question 27

Define behavioral genetics

Answer 27

degree that personality is inherited & shared among genetic relatives

Question 28

Define biological reductionism

Answer 28

INC in knowledge will allow all psyc processes to be explained by biology

Question 29

Sexy son hypothesis

Answer 29

women who try to mate with unstable but attractive males, producing offspring who may inherit the traits that assisted their fathers in achieving reproductive success

Question 30

The tendency to aid and protect other people, especially close relatives, to ensure the survival of one’s own genes into succeeding generations is referred to as

Answer 30

Inclusive fitness

Question 31

Evolution: men vs women on jealousy

Answer 31

women upset by emotional infidelity / men upset by sexual infidelity

Question 32

Evolution: what do men vs women value in the opposite sex?

Answer 32

M: phys attractiveness / F: economic security