Chapter 2: biological beginnings

Question 1

Evolutionary Developmental
Psychology

Answer 1

Role of evolutionary pressure in human growth/developmental processes

Ex: specialized brain in humans to adapt to survival needs

Question 2

Sex-linked traits

Answer 2

Traits that differ in rate of occurrence between males and females because of dominant and recessive alleles on X and Y chromosomes

Question 3

Genetic Testing to detect defects

Answer 3

Ultrasonography (noninvasive, less accurate)

Fetal MRI

Amniocentesis

Chorionic villus sampling (accurate,
invasive, increased risk)

Maternal blood screening

Noninvasive Prenatal Diagnosis-
(noninvasive for fetus, accurate, early
detection)

Question 4

Behavior Genetics

Answer 4

Study of the roles of heredity (nature) and environment (nurture) on development

Question 5

Heritability

Answer 5

Degree of genetic influence on a given trait or characteristic

High heritability=high genetic influence

Question 6

How do we study heritability?

Answer 6

Twin studies

Adoption studies

Family history

Question 7

Heredity-Environment Correlations (g-e)

Answer 7

Passive g-e correlations

Evocative g-e correlations

Active g-e correlations (niche-picking)

Question 8

The G x E Interaction

Answer 8

The interaction between nature
and environment

Question 9

Epigenetics

Answer 9

Epigenetics: the study of the epigenome, and factors that influence it

Epigenome: chemical tags/info on chromosomes

Question 10

Nurture argument (nature vs. nurture)

Answer 10

Concordance vs DISCORDANCE: variance accounted for by environment

Complicated nature-nurture interactions: obesity, aggression, gender identity, interests/hobbies, experience-seeking, epigenetics