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Lifespan Development > Early Influences on Development - Nature vs. Nurture > Flashcards

Early Influences on Development - Nature vs. Nurture Flashcards

1
Q

Nature VS. Nurture

most developmental psychologists agree that both nature & nurture play a role in development. some psychologists emphasize the stability of certain characteristics & stress the role of ____; others emphasize the plasticity of some characteristics & stress the role of ____ ____.

A

heredity; early experiences

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2
Q

Nature VS. Nurture

list the 3 main mechanisms of inheritance

A
  • Single Gene-Pair
  • Sex-Linked
  • Polygenic
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3
Q

Nature VS. Nurture

when does single-gene pair inheritance occur

A

when a characteristic is influenced by a single pair of genes *(e.g., 2 recessive genes or 1 recessive & 1 dominant)

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4
Q

Nature VS. Nurture

when does sex-linked inheritance occur and most often with which chromosome

A

when a characteristic is influenced by a gene on one of the sex chromosomes, most often the X chromosome

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5
Q

Nature VS. Nurture

when does polygenic inheritance occur & give examples of specific characteristics that are polygenic

A
  • when a characteristic is influenced by multiple genes
  • height, weight, hair color, intelligence, & susceptibility to cancer
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6
Q

Nature VS. Nurture

define phenotype

A

observed characteristics, which are due to a combination of genetic & environmental factors

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7
Q

Nature VS. Nurture

define genotype

A

genetic inheritance

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8
Q

Nature VS. Nurture

what is the heritability estimate for height & what is the remaining percentage due to

A
  • .80; 80%
  • environmental factors
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9
Q

Nature VS. Nurture

which polygenic characteristic is the most heritable

A

intelligence

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10
Q

Nature VS. Nurture

what environmental factor has been found to affect intelligence the most

A

SES (reported heritability estimates being about .10 for younger children from low-SES families & .70 for young children from high-SES families

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11
Q

Nature VS. Nurture

adoption studies comparing the IQ scores of young children born into low-SES families that were adopted into higher-SES families have found:

a) the adopted children subsequently have lower IQ scores than their siblings who remained with their birth parents
b) the adopted children subsequently have similar IQ scores than their siblings who remained with their birth parents
c) the adopted children subsequently have higher IQ scores than their siblings who remained with their birth parents
d) inconsistent results between the IQ scores of the adopted children and their siblings who remained with their birth parents

A

C (presumably because the adopted children were provided with enriched environments, greater educational opportunities, & other advantages

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12
Q

Nature VS. Nurture

list, in order from highest to lowest, the IQ scores of the following:
* children born into high-SES families and adopted by low-SES families
* children born in low-SES families and adopted by high-SES families
* children born into and adopted by low-SES families (
* children born into and adopted by high-SES families

A

1) Children born into and adopted by high-SES families (120)
2) children born in low-SES families and adopted by high-SES families (107)
3) children born into high-SES families and adopted by low-SES families (104)
4) children born into and adopted by low-SES families (92).

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13
Q

Nature VS. Nurture

define critical vs sensitive periods

A

critical: limited period of time when exposure to certain environmental events is necessary for development to occus

sensitive: usually longer than a critical period; a period of time when it’s optimal (but not necessary) for certain environmental events to occur

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14
Q

Nature VS. Nurture

Bronfenbrenner’s (2004) ecological theory distinguishes between 5 environmental systems. Match the description with the correct system:

microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem, and chronosystem

  1. elements in the environment that affect the child’s immediate environment & include the parents’ places of work, extended family, & community health services
  2. environmental events that occur over a person’s lifespan & impact their development & circumstances. (e.g., parental divorce & job loss, the birth of a new sibling, & natural disasters)
  3. interactions between elements of the microsystem (e.g., influence of family relationships on relations w/ peers & teachers at schoool & vice versa)
  4. social & cultural environment, incl. cultural practices, economic conditions, & political ideologies
  5. immediate environment, incl. parents, siblings, friends, & others at home, school, & church
A

1) exosystem
2) chronosystem
3) mesosystem
4) macrosystem
5) microsystem

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15
Q

Nature VS. Nurture

researchers conducting studies examining environmental factos that influence personality distinguish shared and non-shared factors. List examples of both.

A

shared
* parenting style
* parental beliefs & values
* family SES

non-shared
* differential treatment by parents
* different interactions with siblings
* different experiences with peers and teachers

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16
Q

Nature VS. Nurture

research findings suggest what about shared and non-shared environmental factors on personality development

A

shared factors have little to no influence on personality throughout the lifespan

the influence of non-shared factors is substantial & this influence increses with increasing age, while genetic influences decrease with increasing age

17
Q

Nature VS. Nurture

the influence of genetics on intelligence is affected by ____.

A

age

18
Q

Nature VS. Nurture

findings from adoption studies examining the influence of genetics on intelligence

A
  • the adopted child’s subsequent IQ scores correlate more highly with the scores of their biological parents than the scores of their adoptive parents
  • the correlation between adopted children & biological parents increases with increasing age
19
Q

Nature VS. Nurture

give one explanation of the increasing influence of genetics on intelligence over the lifespan

A

active genotype-environment correlation (niche-picking) which occurs when individuals actively seek experiences that “git” their genetic predispositions.

20
Q

Nature VS. Nurture

shared vs. non-shared genetic factors influence on intelligence

A

shared
* have a large influence in early childhood
* influence decreases during adolescence & early adulthood
* stabilizes at a low level of influence during middle & late adulthood

non-shared
* relatively low level of influence throuhgout the lfiespan

21
Q

Nature VS. Nurture

twin studies may (overestimate/underestimate) the influence of genetics

A

overestimate

22
Q

Nature VS. Nurture

twin or adoption studies are considered to be more powerful for disentangling genetic & environmental contributirs to a trait

A

adoption studies (tend to not depend on the equal environment assumption)

23
Q

Nature VS. Nurture

twin, adoption, or twin-adoption studies are considered most powerful for disentangling genetic vs environmental factors. why?

A

twin-adoption studies (they combine the strengths of twin studies & adoption studies)

24
Q

Heredity-Environment Interactions

list the 3 genotype-environment corrleations according to Scarr et al. (1983, 1992)

A

a) passive genotype-enviornment correlation
b) evocative genotype-environment correlation
c) active genotype-environment correlation

25
Q

Heredity-Environment Interactions

if a child of socialable parents is also sociable, this is an example of which of Scarr et al.’s(1983, 1992) genotype-environment correlation?

A

passive genotype-environment correlation
* child inherited genes from their parents that predisposed them to being sociable (genotype) and parents provided them with many opportunities to participate in social activities (environment)

26
Q

Heredity-Environment Interactions

a sociable child will react to others in ways that encourage them to respond to the child in socially reinforcing ways, this is an example of which of Scarr et al.’s(1983, 1992) genotype-environment correlation?

A

evocative genotype-environment correlation
* a child’s genetic make-up evokes certain kinds of reactions from parents & other people that reinforce their genetic make-up

27
Q

Heredity-Environment Interactions

sociable children & adolescents will actively seek opportunities for social interactions, this is an example of which of Scarr et al.’s(1983, 1992) genotype-environment correlation?

A

active genotype-environment correlation
* aka niche-picking & occurs when children actively seek experiences that “fit” their gentic predispositions

28
Q

Heredity-Environment Interactions

which types of Scarr et al.’s (1983, 1992) genotype-environment correlations are most important in infancy & early childhood? why?

A
  • evocative & passive types
  • usually when children have little control over their environments
29
Q

Heredity-Environment Interactions

which types of Scarr et al.’s (1983, 1992) genotype-environment correlation becomes increasingly important over time? why?

A
  • active type (aka niche-picking)
  • children become more independent & are able to choose their own niches
30
Q

Heredity-Environment Interactions

define canalization assocaited with reaction range according to Gottesman (1963)

A

the tendency for genetic make-up to restrict developmental outcomes regardless of environmental circumstances
(e.g., a child with a genetic defect that produces a mild intellectual disability will have a broader range of positive outcomes from being provided with an enriched environment)

31
Q

Heredity-Environment Interactions

Dynamic Systems Theory (DST)
1. nature vs. nurture
2. assumptions

A
  1. nature & nurture are both essential for development
  2. assumptions
    * development is not simply the result of physical maturation but instead a complex process that invloves the interaction of the following:
    • biology
    • environment
    • how we control ourselves
    • how we interact with others
    • how we think about, or represent, our experiences in our mind
32
Q

Heredity-Environment Interactions

using Dynamic Systems Theory, Thelen et al. (1994, 1995) concluded that which behaviors develop first: voluntary complex behaviors or simple repetitive behaviors

A

simple repetitive behaviors

33
Q

Heredity-Environment Interactions

define epigenetics

A

the study of changes in organisms brought about by modification of gene expression, rather than by alteration of the genetic code in the form of DNA

34
Q

Heredity-Environment Interactions

____ mechanisms cause changes in phenotype without changing genotype by altering the function or expression of genes

A

epigenetic

35
Q

Heredity-Environment Interactions

what is the best understood epigenetic mechanism?

A

DNA methylation

36
Q

Heredity-Environment Interactions

list the environmental & pscyhosocial factors that are potential causes of epigenetic changes

A
  • diet
  • environmental pollutants
  • child abuse

Lifespan Development (6 decks)

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