Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

NESC 3670: Genes, Brain & Behaviour > Lec 2: trait variation & categorization, basic models of inheritance, connection via DNA > Flashcards

Lec 2: trait variation & categorization, basic models of inheritance, connection via DNA Flashcards

1
Q

Theodosius Dobzhansky states that “nothing in biology makes sense except in …..”

A

the light of evolution

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

the cognitive mechanisms that constitute the human brain are assumed to have developed via ____ ___

A

natural selection

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

list the 4 principles of evolutionary theory

A

1) principle of variation
2) principle of inheritance
3) principle of adaptation
4) principle of evolution

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

what is the principle of variation?

A

individuals within species show variation in physical and behavioural traits

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

what is the principle of inheritance?

A

some of this variation is heritable (across generations)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

what is the principle of adaptation?

A

individuals are in competition with one another for scarce resources and some inherited variations will have survival advantages

  • has to enhance survival and potential to create offspring
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

what is the principle of evolution?

A

as a consequence of being better adapted to environment, some individuals will produce more offspring who will inherit some advantages

  • “fitness”
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

what did Darwin conclude about sexual selection?

A

existence of certain physical features do not contribute to survival

such features were governed by sexual selection

  • creation/maintenance of features essential for attracting the opposite sex and defending ones status

** natural selection and sexual selection work together

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

what term did W.D. Hamilton (1964) introduce??

A

inclusive fitness

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

what is inclusive fitness?

A

characteristics will be selected for that improve the changes of an individuals genes being passed directly or via relatives

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

what is natural selection?

A

principle that, among the range of inherited trait variations, those that lead to INC reproduction/survival will most likely be PASSED on to succeeding generations

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

what are mutations?

A

random erros in gene replication

lead to change in sequence of nucleotides in genome

result in change sin specific gene expression, brain function and behaviour

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

what is an adaptive behaviour?

A

evolutionary adaptation that enhances survival and reproductive success

evolves as natural selection fine-tunes an animal to its environment

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

what are adaptive problems?

A

problems in physical/social environment (e.g. finding mate, food, fighting disease)

  • affect reproductive success
  • each problem tackled by adaptive changes in physiology and behaviour
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

what do social scientists say about adaptive problems?

A

accept that our bodies have been sculpted by evolutionary forces (e.g. we all possess sweat glands for thermoregulation)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

what do evolutionary psychologists argue about adaptive problems?

A

our psychological mechanisms and the resulting behaviour have also been shaped by the same evolutionary forces

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

what is a proximate causation?

A

immediate psychological, physiological, biochemical, and environmental reasons certain traits exist

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

name 3 examples of proximate causation

A
  • sensory systems (need to perceive danger)
  • mechanisms that drive muscles that elicit behaviour (need contract muscles to run)
  • cellular activities regulate development (nerve function)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

what is ultimate causation?

A

the reason a trait increased fitness in evolutionary past

  • how does internal machinery work? why does it work that way?
  • is that behaviour an adaptation
  • how does that behaviour allow indiv to survive, find food, find mates, escape predators?
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

not all behaviours are “_____”

A

adaptive

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Stephan Jay Gould (1991) cautioned the use of ‘___-__’ stories and explain..

A

‘just-so’ stories

  • exaptations and spandrels
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

what are exaptations?

A

features that may once have been adaptive for one function may have changed over time to serve a different function (e.g. feathers for warmth then flight)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

what are spandrels

A

other features may look like adaptations, but design constraint (e.g. male nipples)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

name the roles of the environment that Buss (1998) pointed out

A
  • interaction with environmental features during development are critical for normal development
  • input during development may be required in order to activate certain adaptive features
  • developmental events may channel individuals into one of several different paths (e.g. parenting style)
  • environmental events may disrupt the emergence of an adaptation
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

what is evolutionary psychology?

A

study of the physiological, evolutionary and developmental mechanisms of behaviour and experience

  • application of Darwinian principles to the understanding of human nature
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

list the 4 categories that biological explanations of behaviour fall into

A

physiological
ontogenetic
evolutionary
functional

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

what is the physiological-biological explanation of behaviour

A

relates a behaviour into the activity of the brain and other organs

  • e.g. fight/flight respose
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

what is the ontogenetic-biological explanation of behaviour

A

describes the development of a structure or behaviour

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

what is the evolutionary-biological explanation of behaviour

A

reconstructs evolutionary history of a behaviour

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

what is the functional-biological explanation of behaviour

A

describes WHY a structure or behaviour evolved

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

brain size of humans has inc how much?

A

3X total capacity

32
Q

where is the biggest inc seen in brain size in humans?

A

prefrontal cortex

33
Q

what is the bidirectional view of evolutionary psych?

A

environmental and biological conditions influence each other

  • evolution gives us bodily structures and biological potentialities, does not dictate behaviour
  • individuals create behaviour in context of culture **
34
Q

who is the father of genetics?

A

Gregor Mendel

35
Q

explain what Gregor Mendel did

A
  • bred true for brown seeds with one bred true for white
  • 1st gen= brown seeds (3/4 brown, 1/4 white)
  • true breeding lines= White (ww), brown (BB)
  • brown was dominant phenotypic trait, appear in all 1st generation offspring (Bw)
36
Q

what is a phenotype?

A

observable traits

37
Q

what is a genotype

A

traits present in the genes

38
Q

what is a gene?

A

each inherited factor

  • segment of DNA (spiraled double chain)
  • contain hereditary code
  • direct cells to reproduce themsleves
  • assemble proteins
39
Q

what is an allele?

A

2 genes that control same trait

40
Q

homozygous vs heterozygous

A

homo= 2 identical alleles (e.g. BB, ww)

hetero= 2 different alleles (Bw)

41
Q

name 2 things the nucleus contains

A

chromosomes

genes

42
Q

what are chromosomes

A

threadlike structures composed of DNA molecules

43
Q

what is DNA?

A

complex double helix molecule containing genetic info

44
Q

what are proteins

A

building blocks of cels

regulators that direct the bodys process

45
Q

what is the human genome project?

A

map the human genome

each gene has own unique location on chromosome

46
Q

what is a genome?

A

set of developmental instructions for making human organism

47
Q

what is a pleiotropic response?

A

more than one gene affecting another gene

48
Q

what is mitosis?

A

reproduction of cells

nucleus duplicate

cell divides

49
Q

what is meiosis

A

cell division that forms sperm and egg (gametes)

each cell divides twice
- 4 cells form with 23 unpaired chromosomes

50
Q

what is fertilization

A

fusing of sperm and egg to create a zygote

creates one set of paired chromosomes

51
Q

sex is determined by…?

A

23rd pair of chromosomes

XX female
XY male

52
Q

what is a karyotype?

A

and appearance of chromosomes in nucleus eukaryotic cell

  • used to distinguish disorders
53
Q

what are 4 sources of variability to normal development?

A

1) combing genes of both parents inc genetic variability
2) identical twins develop from single zygote that splits into 2
3) fraternal twins develop from separate eggs and sperm
4) gene mutations can permanently alter segments of DNA

54
Q

name 6 types single-gene linked abnormalities and examples

A
  • autosomal dominant
  • autosomal recessive
  • x-linked dominant
  • x-linked recessive
  • y-linked
  • mitochondrial
  • e.g. CF, diabetes, hemophilia, huntington’s disease, PKU, sickle-cell anemia, spina bifida, Tay-Sachs disease
55
Q

chromosomal abnormalities occur when??

A

there is an error in cell division following meiosis or mitosis

56
Q

chromosomal abnormalities are caused by…

A

missing, extra, or irregular portion of chromosomal DNA

57
Q

name 5 examples of chromosomal abnormalities

A
  • down syndrome
  • Klinefelter syndrome
  • Fragile X syndrome
  • Turner syndrome
  • XYY syndrome

affect brain function and cognition

58
Q

what are human behavioural and personality characteristics?

A

observable and measurable components of a persons phenotype

  • detectable expression of a persons genotype interacting with his/her environment
59
Q

what is goal of behaviour genetics?

A

seeks to discover the influence of heredity and environment on individual differences in human traits and development

60
Q

what are linkage studies?

A

look for patterns of inheritance of genetic markers in large families

61
Q

what is a genetic marker?

A

segment of DNA that varies among individuals

62
Q

what is heritability?

A

statistical estimate of proportion of the total variance in some trait that is attributable to genetic differences among individuals within a group

  • expressed as proportion (e.g. 0.60 or 60/100)
  • max is 1.0

some variables are highly heritable (e.g. height)

63
Q

name 3 limitations to heritability

A

1) estimate of heritability applies only to particular group living in a particular environment
2) heritability estimates do not apply to individuals, only to variations within a group
3) even highly heritable traits can be modified by the environment

64
Q

heritability of behaviour is estimated in which 3 ways?

A

1) examine whether children more closely resemble adoptive/biological parents
2) compare mono/dizygotic twins
3) examine identical twins raised in diff households (social environment)

65
Q

benefit to adoption studies

A
  • allow researcher to compare correlations between traits of adopted children and biological/adoptive relatives
  • results to estimate heritability
66
Q

what should we see from adoption studies?

A
  • identical twins raised apart have identical genes in diff environment
  • any similarities in traits between identical twins who were separated early in life and reared apart should be primarily genetic and should give estimate of heritability
67
Q

list 4 shared environmental experiences (siblings)

A
  • parents personalities
  • intellectual orientation
  • family SES
  • neighbourhood

shared environment accounts for little of the variation in childrens personality or interest

68
Q

heredity influences non-shared environments through ____ - _____ correlations

A

heredity-environment

69
Q

genotype-environment correlations stay the same// change as children grow???

70
Q

name 3 types of heredity-environment correlations/interactions

A
  • passive GE- interaction (parents provide rearing environment)
  • evocative GE- interaction(genotype elicits certain types of physical/social environments)
  • active GE-interaction (when children seek out compatible and stimulating environments)
71
Q

what is IQ

A

intelligent quotient

72
Q

what is IQ measure

A

measure of intelligence

  • divide mental age by chronological age, multiply by 100
73
Q

IQ scores of adopted children are highly correlated with who???

A

their biological parents

74
Q

psychiatric diseases are complex disease that aggregate in ____ but do not segregate in a ____ ____ manner

A

aggregate in families

do not segregate in simple Mendelian manner (not due to 1 specific gene)

75
Q

name 4 experiences that hinder cognitive performance (in development)

A
  • poor prenatal care
  • malnutrition
  • exposure to toxins
  • stressful family circumstances
76
Q

name 2 experiences that enhance cognitive performance

A
  • good health care and nutrition

- mental enrichment in home and childcare/school

NESC 3670: Genes, Brain & Behaviour (12 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions