week 3

Question 1

the nature-nurture question

Answer 1

if an individuals behaviour is due to their inherited or acquired influences

Question 2

why are N-N questions difficult to study empirically

Answer 2

cant manipulate who breeds, where a baby is placed, and hard to tell if something is nature or nurture

Question 3

adoption study

Answer 3

behaviour genetic research method that compares adopted children to their adoptive and biological parents

Question 4

twin study

Answer 4

behaviour genetic research method that compares behaviour of twins raised apart vs together

Question 5

monozygotic twins

Answer 5

identical twins. one zygote split

Question 6

dizygotic twins

Answer 6

fraternal twins. two separate zygotes

Question 7

quantitative genetics

Answer 7

scientific and mathematic methods for finding genetic and environmental processes based on the variation of individuals

Question 8

heritability coefficient

Answer 8

measures the role of genetics in the explanation of differences among individuals

Question 9

evolution

Answer 9

change over time

Question 10

natural selection

Answer 10

organisms surviving and reproducing at higher rates than others being of their traits

Question 11

adaptions

Answer 11

attributes that change to make an organism better

Question 12

two major classes of adaption

Answer 12

survival adaption and sexual adaption

Question 13

two primary processes of sexual selection

Answer 13

intrasexual competition: same sex competes and winner gets to mate
intersexual competition: opposite sex chooses who they prefer

Question 14

gene selection theory

Answer 14

genes that help organisms to reproduce, and thus replicating in the offspring, have an advantage over genes less able

Question 15

psychological adaptions

Answer 15

mechanisms of the mind that have evolved to solve specific problems of survival or reproduction. e.g. sexual jealousy

Question 16

sexual strategies theory

Answer 16

predicts specific similarities and differences in men and women’s mating preferences and strategies

Question 17

error management theory

Answer 17

deals with the evolution of how we think, make decisions, and evalute uncertain situations

Question 18

epigenetics

Answer 18

changes is gene expression from things other than DNA sequence, e.g. environment.

Question 19

what do epigenetic marks include

Answer 19

covalent DNA modification and posttranslational histone modifications

Question 20

DNA methylation

Answer 20

best understood epigenetic modification influencing gene expression. primarily happens at cytosine followed by guanine

Question 21

rett syndrome

Answer 21

caused by misregulations of epigenetic mechanisms. mutation in gene MECP2. increases anxiety, social withdrawal, and cognitive effects

Question 22

Phenotype

Answer 22

an organisms physical appearance, or visible traits

Question 23

epigenome

Answer 23

the genome-wide distribution of epigenetic marks