Psych Chapter 6 Flashcards
environment
every nongenetic influence, from prenatal nutrition to the people and things around us.
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.
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; a segment of DNA capable of synthesizing a protein.
genome
the complete instructions for making an organism, consisting of all the genetic material in that organism’s chromosomes.
identical twins
twins who develop from a single fertilized egg that splits in two, creating two genetically identical organisms.
fraternal twins
twins who develop from separate fertilized eggs. They are genetically no closer than brothers and sisters, but they share a fetal environment.
temperament
a person’s characteristic emotional reactivity and intensity.
heritability
the proportion of variation among individuals that we can attribute to genes. The heritability of a trait may vary, depending on the range of populations and environments studied.
interaction
the effect of one factor (such as environment) depends on another factor (such as heredity).
molecular genetics
the subfield of biology that studies the molecular structure and function of genes.
evolutionary psychology
the study of the evolution of behavior and the mind, using principles of natural selection.
natural selection
the principle that, among the range of inherited trait variations, those that lead to increased reproduction and survival will most likely be passed on to succeeding generations.
mutation
a random error in gene replication that leads to a change.
