Evolution, Genetics And Experience

Question 1

Two questions about behaviour

Answer 1

Is it physiological or is it psychological

Inherited Or learned

Question 2

Physiological or Psychological?

Answer 2

Conflict between science and Roman church
Truth whatever church decreed it to be
French philosopher Rene Descartes 1596-1650 gave one part to universe one to church

Question 3

Descartes = Universe composed of two elements

Answer 3

Physical matter , behaves to laws of nature and is thus a suitable object of scientific investigation

Human mind - lacks physical substance , obeys not natural laws and is appropriate object of the church

Question 4

Inherited or Learned

Answer 4

Same time studying animal behaviour
Ethology = study of instinctive behaviours
Emphasised role of nature, inherited factors in development
Early ethologists assumed inherited

Question 5

Evidence against physiological or psychological

Answer 5

1. Complex psychological changed produced by damage

2. Some nonhuman species possess abilities once assumed purely psychological purely human

Question 6

Human Evolution

Answer 6

Modern biology began in 1859 with Darwins on the origin of species
-traits associated with survival & reproduction most likely passed on
-adapted to particular environment
-Natural Selection
Evolution of fossil records through geological layers
Striking structural similarities among living species

Question 7

Mendelian Genetics

Answer 7

=two inherited factors
Two genes for each dichomous trait - alleles
Homozygous organism (possess identical genes)
Heterozygous organisms (possess different genes)
Dominant (brown seed) recessive (white)
1 father 1 mother
1900 genes located on chromosomes in nucleus of cells

Question 8

Fundamental genetics

Answer 8

Humans have 20,000 genes
Genes 2% of human DNA
Big mistake to attribute control of a behaviour to a single gene
Behaviour the product of many genes interacting with each other
As brain is plastic timing of gene activity in specific neural structure critical

Question 9

Selective Breeding

Answer 9

Rats trained on a maze , best rat = maze bright breed together;maze dull rats breed together
Cross fostering control procedure
No lap in group performance by generation 8
Maze bright rats got better
Maze dull rats got worse
Maze rats do better than maze dull rats only if both raised in improve rushed environments
When raised in enriched environments differences disappear
Maze bright rats not more intelligent less fearful

Question 10

Phenylketonuria

Answer 10

Abnormal brain development
1/100 carry PKU gene
Single gene mutation suffers lack conversion of PKU to tyrosine
Levels of dopamine low
Only develops with genetic environment interaction
Treated by phenylalanine restricted diet (newborn) limits mental retardation