Psychology study guide chapter 4 Behavior genetics Study how heredity and environment contribute to human differences Genes Building blocks of heredity and development Part of DNA in nucleus Chromosomes are threadlike structure made largely of DNA molecules DNA is a complex molecule containing genes Human genome includes 46 chromosomes and 23 sets of matches sets, each chromosomes has the same gene locations This includes X and Y chromosomes not a utilized set in males who are missing some genes on the Y Biological parent giver half of the chromosomes to the offspring Human genome Genome: an organisms entire collection of genes Human genomes are so nearly identical that we each speak of one universal human genome Genes Not blueprints, just molecules Have the ability to affect assembly of proteins that build the body This genetic protein assembly can be turned on and off by the environment/genes Any trait we see is a result of the complex interactions of many genes and other molecules Fraternal and identical twins Fraternal twins are from separate eggs and are not any more genetically alike than other siblings To asses impact of nature and nurture how do we examine how genes make a difference within the same environment Study siblings and identical twins Studies of twins in adulthood shows that identical twins are more alike than fraternal twins in Personality traits Social and emotional Behaviors and outcomes like divorce Abilities like intelligence and test scores Other Study traits of identical twins as they grow up or I they were raised separately Similarities in twins raised apart 1 Made By Abby Carroll
Identical twins despite being raised in different homes these are nearly the same Personality style of thinking and retaining Activities and intelligence and test scores Interests and taste Brain waves and heart rate Biological/adoptive relatives Studies of adopted children for whom biological relations are known Parenting Despite genetics on personality parenting helps with/influences Religious beliefs Values Manners Attitudes Habits Politics Why siblings are different Only have half of the genes Genetic differences become exemplified as people react to them differently Siblings are raised slightly differently in families if they are the youngest have more older siblings and has older and wiser parents Temperament Difference not caused be parenting From infancy to adulthood most people do not seem to change temperament (defines as a parents general level and style of emotional reactivity) According to some researchers their general types of temperament appear in infancy Easy Difficult Slow to warm up Molecular genetics Molecular genetics is the study of the molecular structure and function of genes Molecular genetics might help us see exactly how specific genes have and influence on behavior Genetics tests can reveal which people are at risk of many physical diseases and may soon identify people at risk of mental health disorders Ethical conundrum: should people use genetic tests to select sperm eggs and even the embryo? Heritability 2 Made By Abby Carroll
When you see a variation of some trait within a population the heritability of that trait is the amount of variation in the population that is explained by genetic factors Does not tell us the proportion that genes contribute to the trait for any one person The heritability of a trait also does not tell us whether genetics explains differences between group populations Clarity heritability If 5 unrelated people had nearly identical upbringing but different in a trait such as shyness then the hereditability of this trait for them is close to 100% Genetics and environment Some traits (like overall design of your body) are set by genes Physical and mental abilities develop in response to experience Genetic traits influence social environment which in turn effects behavior Self-regulation: genes turn each other on and off in response to environment conditions In animals short daylight means fur color changes to hibernate Epigenetics: the environment acts on the surface of genes to alter the activity Obesity in adults can turn off weight regulation in genes of the offspring Human approach to nature vs nurture Trait of being adaptable built into human genome Paradox: our genes allow us to be tied to much of our genes We have minds which allow us to change our behavior in response to the environment to a greater degree than other species We even shape our environment to suit our nature Humans can adopt to a variety of climates diets lifestyles and skills Evolutionary psychology Evolutionary success may help explain similarities Evolutionary psychology is the study of how evolutionarily principals explain the origin and function of the human mind traits and behaviors Natural selection Begins with species genome = variety vs genes that shape traits Conditions make it hard for individuals with some traits so survive to produce Other individuals are thus have their traits and genes selected to spread into the population Artificial selection Domesticates silver foxes Forces together than nature influence on natural selection Male and female preferences on mating Issue, quantity of mating Generally men think more about sex and are more likely to think that causal sex is ok 3 Made By Abby Carroll
Men who have the trait of promiscuity have their genes spread with little cost For women there is a higher chance of death and not generally and increase in number of babies Difference in mating choices are less in cultures that have more gender equality Nature and nurture How environment and experience affects brain development Forces guiding cause of development Parents Peers Culture For rats, better environment means a better brain worse means less developed brain to make well used pathways work better the unused connection is pruned away certain abilities are not used to they fade away more practice means more neurons involved is parenting powerful environmental influence about 10% of temperament % increase is extreme parenting (abuse) Neglect/abuse can either be really good of really hurtful Peer influence Hard to trace, could be selection affect People who smoke together smoke together because they like to smoke Interaction with peers teach new special skills Parents try to have indirect influence by selecting child s peers Overall Parents Education and career Self-discipline Responsibility Charity Religion Interacting with authority figures Peers Learn and cooperate skills Popularity Music and recreation Clothing and cultural choices Good and bad habits Cultural influence development 4 Made By Abby Carroll
Nature of culture Patterns of ideas attitudes values lifestyle habits and traditions shared by a group of people and passed on to future generations Not just influence in out nature but part of our nature not only relationships but culture (humans form) Variations across culture Each culture has norms standards of acceptable/ expected behavior Culture shock: feeling lost about what behaviors are appropriate Cultural variation over time Language changes in vocab and pronunciation Pace of life quickens Gender equality Sleep Cultural influences on development Main types Individualists: promote personal ideas and strengths Collectivist: interdependent group and social goals, mutual support and group identity Similarities in groups Difference in any group usually greater than difference between the groups Culture and genes Different blood pressure in racial groups Different diets and foods Child rearing Individualists and collectivists African and Asians are emotionally and physically closer to together Gender development Gender roles to the physical social and behavioral characteristics that are culturally associates with male and female roles and identity Some genetic some nurtures by culture Difference of genders Biological Women enter puberty earlier, live longer and have more fat and less muscle Mental and behavioral health Women more likely to have depression anxiety or eating disorders Men more likely to have autism ADHD and antisocial personality disorder Gender aggressive Men are more aggressive and more likely to behave in ways that harm others 5 Made By Abby Carroll
Difference applies to physical aggression rather than verbal or relational aggression Gender and social power Variety of cultures men having attributes and reputations that help them attain more social powers Positions controlling more people and resources than women Men tend to interact in more dominations ways often speak in options than offering support or invite input as women do Gender and social connection: PLAYTIME!!!!! DUDE When boys play focus tends to be on activity More competitive Tend to dictate how playtime will proceed Girls Focus on connection and conversation Play is more social Invite feedback Gender and social communication Women communicate more than men Time with friends More tests Longer phone calls Men and women speak same number of words per say Men communication s State options and solutions Men speak about things and actions Girls Fed back wanted Emotions and feelings Gender and social connection s Both men and women when they want someone to talk to seeking women to befriend and for a good response and someone to listen to Women change roommates more Women have stronger ties to family Women more involved in religion Biology of gender Begins with whether our 23 rd pair oh chromosomes is XX or XY (male) Testes develop and at 7 weeks the testes produce a flood of testosterone Hormones then guide the development of external sex organs 6 Made By Abby Carroll
Bran differences 4 th /5 th month of pregnancy hormones bathe the fetal brain Adulthood women have thicker areas in part of frontal lobes helping with verbal fluency Differences in amygdala hippocampus and ratio of cell bodies to axons Unusual biological cases Prenatal testosterone high in females increase in tomboy behavior possibly causes by other people responsible to more masculine features but there is not a general pattern of gender identity change Cases where males under formed or absent genitalia attempts to raise them as females don t work to well Transgendered when people have sexual identity different from their birth sex Feelings Transsexual people act on this sense of difference by living as a member of opposite sex often with hormone/sexual interventions supporting gender reassignment Treatment to be other sex Nurture and cultural side of gender Gender role: behaviors expected of people related to their identity as men and women Gender identity ones sense of whether on is male or female including a sense of what it means to be that gender Man job is to get $$$ Women raise kids Prevent conflict or help culture stay stable because it has clear roles? Equality = women having some conflict and uncertainty Change in social roles If current trend continues women will be the majority of practitioners in some fields Gender role development Social learning theory: we learn gender role behavior by imitating it and by rewards and punishments that shape our behavior Gender schemas: cognitive frameworks for developing concepts of male and female, these frameworks guide out observations Gender typing: instinct which drives some children to fit into traditional gender roles 7 Made By Abby Carroll