P1 - Biological Approach - Genetics and Behaviour

Question 1

what is a gene?

Answer 1

basic physical and functional unit of hereditary which is made of DNA. Some genes act as instructions to make proteins

Question 2

what is human behaviour influenced by?

Answer 2

genes and environment

Question 3

what is the study we use for genes?

Answer 3

Brunner

Question 4

what is the study we use for genetic similiarities?

Answer 4

Brunner

Question 5

what is the study we use for family/kinship studies?

Answer 5

Brunner

Question 6

what is the study we use for twin studies?

Answer 6

Coccaro

Question 7

what is MAOA

Answer 7

its a gene to make an enzyme called MAOA, which is responsible for breaking down serotonin.

it sweeps up any serotonin left in the synaptic gap

if this enzyme doesnt work, there would be a build up of serotonin, where people become immune to it and need more to have a normal level

on the x chromosome

MAOA-L - less MAOA is produced, brain becomes insensitive to the calming effects of serotonin

Question 8

what is the background to Brunner 1993

Answer 8

a large dutch family

several women sought genetic counselling as certain males in their family were prone to aggressive and impulsive outbursts. one raped his sister, arson, run over employers.

geneists at the university hospital said it ran in males due to the x chromosome

Question 9

what is the aim of Brunner 1993?

Answer 9

to explain behaviour of a large familys of which males were affected by abnormal violent behaviour

Question 10

who are the participants in Brunner 1993

Answer 10

5 men from the same family

Question 11

what was the procedure of Brunner 1993?

Answer 11

data collected from genetic material from the family from a urine sample

Question 12

what were the findings of Brunner 1993?

Answer 12

low levels of MAOA enzyme and a mutuation was found on the x chromosome on the gene responsible for producing MAOA

Question 13

what was the conclusion for Brunner 1993?

Answer 13

the defect in the gene causes the mental disabilities which would lead to violent behaviour

Question 14

why do we use families for genetic similarities?

Answer 14

family studies provide a way to examine the relationship between genetics and behaviour. If a certain trait is influenced by our genes, close relatives should also display that behaviour.

Question 15

link genetic similarities to brunner

Answer 15

Brunner uses genetic similarities to identify a genetic influence for aggression as the five males who all displayed aggressive behaviour in one family were also found to have the same genetic mutation on the x chromosome, supporting evidence for the MAOA genes.

Question 16

link kinship/family studies to Brunner

Answer 16

Brunner uses participants from the same family to establish that MAOA gene has a role in aggression as all males from the same family display similar similar aggressive behaviours and have the same genetic mutation on their x chromosone.

Question 17

why do we use twins in genes in research?

Answer 17

its one of the possible ways to study the correlation of genetic inheritance and behaviour is through twins.

Question 18

what are the difference in twins?

Answer 18

monozygotic twins - share 100% DNA, as egg is split

dizygotic twins - share 50% of DNA as 2 seperate eggs fertilisied by 2 seperate sperms

Question 19

what is the concordance rate?

Answer 19

presence of the same trait in both members of a pair of twins

Question 20

what is the aim of Coccaro et al 1997

Answer 20

to investigate monozygotic vs dizygotic twin pairs

Question 21

who are the sample of Coccaro et al

Answer 21

american male veterans

182 MZ and 118 DZ

Question 22

what is the procedure of Coccaro et al 1997

Answer 22

examined for concordance of criminal behaviour.

measured using the BDHI, which is a questionaire designed to assess hostile behaviours, direct/indirect assualt, verbal, irritability

Question 23

what are the findings of Coccaro 1997

Answer 23

MZ - 50% concordance for direct physical assualt, with 19% DZ

verbal aggression MZ - 28%, DZ - 7%

Question 24

what is the conclusions of Coccaro et al?

Answer 24

supports role of genetics in aggression as twins were genetically identical were more likely to display criminal behaviour than DZ twins

Question 25

what is evolutionary psychology?

Answer 25

behaviour can be explained by appeal to the internal psychological mechanisms

Question 26

what is intersexucal selection?

Answer 26

making themselves attractive to the other sex

becomes a competition to attract a mate

Question 27

intrasexual selection

Answer 27

occurs between same sex

direct competition between individuals of same sex to maintain the ability to pass on their traits

Question 28

what study do we use for evolutionary explanations?

Answer 28

wedekind

Question 29

aim of wedekind et al 1995

Answer 29

to determine whether MHCs would affect mate choice

Question 30

procedure of Wedekind 1995

Answer 30

sample: 49 females, 44 males from Uni of Bern, Switzerland. different courses

• men were asked to wear a tshirt for two days and keep it in a plastic bag at night. scent free soap, no deodrants, no perfumes, no tobbacco, no alcohol, no spicy food, no sex
• 2 days later, women ranked the 7 tshirts through a cardboard smelling hole
• 2 weeks after menstruation
• nasal spray for two weeks
• 3/7 similar MHC, 3/7, different MHC 1/7 control

ranked odours of tshirts for intensity and pleasantness

Question 31

what were the results from Wedekind 1995

Answer 31

women scored male body odours as more pleasant when the MHC was different

Question 32

what was the conclusions of Wedekind

Answer 32

women preffered odours of men with a different immune system as it would increase the health of their potential babies.

Question 33

link Wedekind to evolutionary explanations

Answer 33

MHC genes make molecules that enable immune system to recognise pathogens. the more diverse the MHC genes of the parents, the stronger the immune system of the offspring. We have evolved the strategy of being able to smell who has a different version of the MHC gene to us