Module 6: Genetics, Evolution, and Behavior Flashcards
Environment
every nongenetic influence, from prenatal nutrition to the people and things around us.
Heredity
the genetic transfer of characteristics from parents to offspring.
Behavior Genetics
the study of the relative power and limits of genetic and environmental influences on behavior.
Chromosomes
threadlike structures made of DNA molecules that contain the genes found in all cells.
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)
a complex molecule containing the genetic information that makes up the chromosomes.
Genes
the biochemical units of heredity that make up the chromosomes; segments of DNA capable of synthesizing proteins.
Genome
the complete instructions for making an organism, consisting of all the genetic material in that organism’s chromosomes.
identical (monozygotic) twins
individuals that develop from a single fertilized egg that splits in two, creating two genetically identical organisms.
fraternal (dizygotic) twins
individuals that develop from separate fertilized eggs. They are genetically no closer than ordinary siblings, but they share a prenatal environment.
Interaction
the interplay that occurs when the effect of one factor (such as environment) depends on another factor (such as heredity).
Epigenetics
“above” or “in addition to” (epi) genetics; the study of the molecular mechanisms by which environments can influence genetic expression (without a DNA change).
Evolutionary Psychology
the study of the evolution of behavior and the mind, using principles of natural selection.
Natural Selection
the principle that inherited traits that better enable an organism to survive and reproduce in a particular environment will (in competition with other trait variations) most likely be passed on to subsequent generations.
Mutation
a random error in gene replication that leads to a change.
