Chapter 3: Genetics and Evolutionary Foundations of Behavior

Question 1

Genes

Answer 1

Extremely long molecules of DNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid

Question 2

Genotype and Phenotype

Answer 2

1. refers to the genes someone inherits
2. refers to observable traits of the body and behavior
   Two people with the same genotype can have different phenotypes due to differences in the environment

Question 3

Chromosomes

Answer 3

Humans have 46 chromosomes which exist in every cell nucleus. Female : XX
Male : XY

Question 4

Mitosis and Meiosis

Answer 4

Mitosis is when a cell perfectly replicates itself. Meiosis happens in sperm and egg cells: each chromosome replicates itself once but the cell divides twice. Before cell division, the chromosomes line up and exchange genetic material

Question 5

Zygote

Answer 5

When a sperm and an egg unite the form a zygote

Question 6

Monozygotic and Dizygotic

Answer 6

Identical twins are monozygotic (a baby essentially split into two)
Fraternal twins are when coincidentally two sperm cells and two egg cells unite at the same time

Question 7

Polygenic characteristics

Answer 7

A characteristic that is affected by multiple genes

Question 8

Epigenetics

Answer 8

Our parents environment can inhibit certain genes which could affect us. This process is called methylation. For example: a parent that had to hunger could have a child that gets fat easily

Question 9

Functionalism

Answer 9

The attempt to explain behavior in terms of what it accomplished for the individual

Question 10

Distal and proximate explanations of behaviour

Answer 10

1. states the survival or reproductive value

2. states the stimuli through which the behavior occurs

Question 11

Vestigial characteristics

Answer 11

A trait that was useful to our ancestors but not to us today. For example: our great appetite for sugar

Question 12

Species-typical behavior

Answer 12

Instincts

Question 13

Homology and Analogy

Answer 13

1. any similarity that exists because of the species ancestry: wings in sparrows and crows
2. A similarity that does not exist because of the species ancestry but due to converging evolution: wings in crows and butterflies

Question 14

Polygyny, polyandry, monogamy, promiscuity

Answer 14

1. one male; multiple females
2. one female; multiple males
3. one male; one female for life
4. everyone fucks everyone