genetics

Question 1

behav genetics

Answer 1

understanding the influence of genetics on expression of characteristics and behaviours → what is inheritable? (twin and adoption studies)

Question 2

molecular genetics

Answer 2

which genes are involved in behaviour → what genes are involved in heritable behav?

Question 3

evolutionary psych?

Answer 3

understand how natural selection shapes psychology

Question 4

determinism

Answer 4

-biological traits that lead to behav cannot be changed
-A person with biological determinism lacks free will and cannot be treated
*CRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR not under genetic control

Question 5

phrenology

Answer 5

-franz gall
-Believed there was a relationship between a person’s mental attributes and the shapes and size of their skull
-Can predict behaviour and personality from physical features
-Heavily criticized, but legacy remained

Question 6

atravism

Answer 6

-cesare lombroso
-Possession of physical features (some environmental) more common in criminals
-Known as atravism and they indicated bearer was an evolutionary throwback
-Those with them should be preemptively punished
-Seen as primitive and lesser
-Argued that biology cannot be changed

Question 7

eugenics

Answer 7

Francis Galton
-Anything including poverty or crime was heritable due to the discussion of Darwin’s theory
-Apply reproductive control over ‘lower classes’ and the higher ups should have bigger families (positive eugenics)
-Led to WW11 genocides and sterilization of many people
-Misunderstood science..criminal behaviour cannot be fully explained using just biology

Question 8

jukes family

Answer 8

-Late 19-early 20th century
-Sociologist Dugdale visited jails in New York
-Found blood relatives of Jukes family with half having convictions of criminal behaviour
-Attributed criminality to environment more than genetics
-Advocated for improving conditions for the poor
-Mix of environment AND genetics to fully explain criminal behaviour

Question 9

twin studies (+ summary)

Answer 9

-Monozygotic: identical twins (MZ)
–> Split of egg but only 1 sperm, same sex
-Dizygotic: fraternal twins (DZ)
–> 2 eggs and 2 sperms

-MZ twins have a higher concordance rate for criminality → meta-analysis

-Avr 51.5% for MZ twins and 20.6% for DZ twins
-Proves there is a genetic component to criminal behav

Question 10

concordance

Answer 10

-Degree to which pairs of people both show a particular behav or condition
-Percent that 2 twins match each other
-If 1 twin has a history of crim behav, 60% chance of the other twin having a history of criminal behaviour

Question 11

problems w/ twin studies

Answer 11

-Sample size/sample bias
-Determination of zygosity
-Political influence/bias
-Racial bias
-Only looked at male twins
-Assumption of similar environments → possibly for MZ twins
-Homogenous populations may not be applicable elsewhere
-Ethics of those raised apart

Question 12

adoption studies

Answer 12

-Separate genetics from environment
-heredity= biological, environment= adoptive
-Criminal convictions more common with adoptees with criminal BIOLOGICAL parent
-20% effect of heredity only while 13.5% no effects of heredity or environment
-24.5% effects of heredity and environment, 14.7% effect of environment only
-Nature + nurture

Question 13

problems w/ adoption studies

Answer 13

-less common than twin studies
-adoption parents are screened for good environment
-Assumption of adoption immediately after birth (no relation with biological parent)
-Ethics of those raised apart

Question 14

heritability studies

Answer 14

ROLE of genetics

Question 15

molecular genetics

Answer 15

WHAT genes are involved + HOW MANY

Question 16

MAOA gene

Answer 16

-MAOA-L (low-activity variant) → warrior gene because its relationship with aggression

-MAOA-H (high activity variant)

Question 17

MAO enzymes

Answer 17

-Breaks down neurotransmitters
-Sex linked

Question 18

gene x environment interactions (childhood abuse)

Answer 18

-Interactions of genetics and environment is a predisposition (risk factor), not a determinant

-CA + MAOA variant (low) = antisocial behav

-CA + MAOA (high) = no antisocial behav

-No CA + MAOA (low) = no antisocial behav

Question 19

XYY male

Answer 19

-Extra Y chromosome
-0.1% in general population + 1.9% in violent criminal population
-No actual association with violence, just tall stature, acne, and slight intellectual disability
-Aggression from genetics or environment?
-Environment has a larger role on how a person turns out

Question 20

Diathesis-stress model

Answer 20

-Diathesis: genetic vulnerability or predisposition to develop certain psychopathological condition (risk factor)
-Risky genotype + negative environment =adverse outcome
-Risky genotype + positive environ =neutral/positive outcome

Question 21

Differential Susceptibility model

Answer 21

-Genotype plasticity
-INDIVIDUAL SUSCEPTIBILITY
-Examines susceptibility to environmental effects

Question 22

epigenetics

Answer 22

-Processes that change gene expression, without altering genetic code
-Maternal stress during pregnancy can affect the offspring’s behaviour
-Not that researched on behaviour more researched on disease
-As environment changes, it affects the genes we express

Question 23

natural selection

Answer 23

-Enhance reproduction and survival of species
-Process that drives adaptation

Question 24

evolution of selfishness

Answer 24

acting in a way that increases the chance of your own survival success at the cost of someone else’s

Question 25

evol of altruism

Answer 25

Assisting others with no benefit to oneself: behaviour may even disadvantage the altruistic

Question 26

inclusive fitness

Answer 26

altruistic behaviour towards kin to increase odds of their own genetic success

Question 27

Reciprocal cooperation

Answer 27

Assisting others with the expectation that they return the favour

Question 28

cheating

Answer 28

Accepting benefits from others without reciprocating

Question 29

robbery and theft

Answer 29

-Acquire resources to survive and reproduce
-Expropriate resource acquisition

Question 30

assault and homicide

Answer 30

-Obtain resources
-Remove a rival
-Obtain desirable territory
-Improve social status

Question 31

infanticide and siblicide

Answer 31

-Infanticide: if infant is unlikely to survive, no expenditure of resources
-Siblicide: Obtain resources and especially parent attention

Question 32

rape + SA

Answer 32

-Maximize reproductive success by impregnating many females
-No expenditure of resources to raise offspring
-Females prefer higher status

Question 33

child abuse

Answer 33

-r-strategists : large quantities of offspring with little to no parent investment (e.g. frogs)
-K-strategists: Few offspring with high parental involvement
-Killing one’s child is not conductive to reproductive fitness
-Step parents show a higher risk of killing the biological offspring

Question 34

cinderella effect

Answer 34

-Risk of abuse is 40x higher with a biological parents and one step-parent
-Risk of death is 70x 100x likelier
-Likelihood is still VERY low (60/100,000)

Question 35

interpersonal violence

Answer 35

-Advantages for female is physical protect for children, supply of resources, increase child survival, assistance raising offspring
-Male advantage: certainty for paternity, improve their status, increase child survival
-IPV may relate to controlling to a woman’s sexuality to deter infidelity
-Highest violence when a woman is young and fertile
-10x more likely to be abused

Question 36

intrasexual competition

Answer 36

males engaged in competing with one another to pursue mates or resources

Question 37

sex preference?

Answer 37

-Women prefer partners who contribute to child-rearing, prefer men with status, power, resources

-Men cater to these preferences, focus on acquiring and maintaining wealth and resources
Resistant to losing status and reputation (backing down from insults and escalation to violence)

Question 38

age crime curve

Answer 38

-Low crime rate in childhood, when males are sexually immature and have no reason for aggression to compete for female attention
-Steep rise and peak in young adulthood, when males enter puberty and begin interasexual competition
-Decline at onset of fatherhood because costs of criminal behaviour outweighs benefits and reproductive genes are passed to the next generation

Question 39

gender and crime?

Answer 39

-Women are less risk-adverse and may commit economic crimes out of necessity
-Women commit crimes out of NEED
-Men commit violent crimes to enhance status and power