Unit 3C vocab Flashcards
Every nongenetic influence, from prenatal nutrition to the people and things around us
Environment
The study of the relative power and limits of genetic and environmental influences on behavior
Behavior genetics
Threadlike structures made of DNA molecules that contain the genes
Chromosomes
A complex molecule containing the genetic information that makes up the chromosomes
DNA
The biochemical units of heredity that make up the chromosomes; segments of DNA capable of synthesizing a protein
Genes
The complete instructions for making an organism consisting of all the genetic material in that organisms chromosomes
Genome
Twins who develop from a single fertilized egg that splits in two creating two genetically identical organisms
Identical twins
Twins who develop from seperate fertilized eggs. They are genetically no closer than brothers and sisters but they share a fetal environment
Fraternal twins
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
heritability
the interplay that occurs when the effect of one factor (such as environment) depends on another factor (such as heredity)
interaction
the subfield of biology that studies the molecular structure and function of genes
molecular genetics
the study of the evolution of behavior and the mind, using principles of natural selection
evolutionary psychology
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
natural selection
a random error in gene replication that leads to change
mutation
