Midterm 2 (Genetics, Evolution...)

Question 1

define gene (what is it and what is it made of?)

Answer 1

a portion of a chromosome composed of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)

Question 2

what does DNA do?

Answer 2

serves as a model for the synthesis of ribonucleic acid (RNA)

Question 3

what is RNA?

Answer 3

a single strand of chemical that can serve as a template/model for the synthesis of proteins (messenger RNA)

Question 4

autosomal vs. sex-linked genes

Answer 4

autosomal- all other genes except for the sex-linked genes
sex-linked- genes located on the sex chromosomes

Question 5

define mutation

Answer 5

a heritable change in a DNA molecule

Question 6

Define micro-duplication

Answer 6

part of a chromosome that might appear once might appear twice

Question 7

define micro-deletion

Answer 7

part of a chromosome that might appear once or not at all

Question 8

what is the field of epigenetics concerned with?

Answer 8

changes in gene expression without the modification of the DNA sequence

Question 9

what does heritability refer to?

Answer 9

how much characteristics depend on genetic differences

Question 10

almost all behaviours have both a _____ and an ______ component

Answer 10

genetic and environmental

Question 11

how do genes affect behaviours?

Answer 11

genes produce proteins that increase the probability that a behaviour will develop under certain circumstances

Question 12

what does evolution refer to?

Answer 12

a change in the frequency of various genes in a population over generations

Question 13

Allopatric Speciation- initial step, reproductive isolation, new species

Answer 13

barrier formation, in isolation, elephant IN and elephant SL

Question 14

Peripatric Speciation- initial step, reproductive isolation, new species

Answer 14

entered new habitat, isolation habitat, Polar bear and Brown bear

Question 15

Parapatric Speciation- initial step, reproductive isolation, new species

Answer 15

entered new habitat, adjacent habitat, S salamander and C salamander

Question 16

Sympatric Speciation- initial step, reproductive isolation, new species

Answer 16

genetic change, within population, Orca sp, Orca up

Question 17

define artificial selection

Answer 17

choosing individuals with desired traits and making them parents of the next generation

Question 18

define intra-sexual competition

Answer 18

members of one sex compete against each other and the winner gets to mate with a member of the opposite sex

Question 19

define inter-sexual/preferential selection

Answer 19

if member of one sex are attracted to certain qualities in mates, those desired qualities get passed on in greater numbers

Question 20

what does evolutionary psychology focus on?

Answer 20

functional and evolutionary explanations of how behaviours evolved

Question 21

what does evolutionary psychology assume about behaviour

Answer 21

assumes that behaviours characteristic of a species have arisen through natural selection and provide a survival advantage

Question 22

list four psychological adaptations

Answer 22

food preferences, habitat preferences, mate preferences and specialized fears

Question 23

what is the Cinderella effect?

Answer 23

the risk of a child being killed by a step parent is far greater than the risk of being killed by the natural parent from ages 0-2 and lessens but is still significant from 3-5

Question 24

describe the group selection hypothesis

Answer 24

controversial hypothesis that states that altruistic groups survive better than less cooperative ones

Question 25

describe the kin selection theory

Answer 25

more plausible than group selection. selection for a gene benefits the individual’s relatives

Question 26

define reciprocal altruism

Answer 26

the idea that individuals help those that will return the favour