Heredity and Personal Development

This set of vocabulary flashcards covers the fundamentals of heredity, genetic traits, nature vs. nurture, and the detailed components and creation of family genograms.

Personal Development (A.Y $2025-2026$)

The academic course title and academic year period for Lesson $11.2$ focusing on Heredity and Personal Development.

Heredity

The process of passing on traits from parents to offspring.

Genetics

The field or mechanism where an organism acquires the genetic information of its parents.

Hereditary Characteristics (Physical Traits)

Traits such as curly hair, skin color, and the shape of the nose that are passed from parents to offspring.

Chromosome

A threadlike structure of nucleic acids and protein found in the nucleus of most living cells carrying genetic information in the form of genes.

Inheritance source

One chromosome from each pair is inherited from the mother and the father.

Inherited Illness & Health Conditions

Medical conditions that can be passed down hereditary lines, including Diabetes, Hypertension, and Arthritis.

Nature vs. Nurture

The debate regarding whether humans are the result of genetic background (nature) or environment (nurture).

Genogram

A pictorial display of a person's family relationship and medical history that acts as a family diagram.

Murray Bowen

The individual who invented the genogram.

Monica McGoldrick and Randy Gerson

The individuals who developed the genogram.

Purposes of a Genogram

Allows users to visualize hereditary patterns, identify repetitive behaviors, and recognize tendencies for mental and physical illnesses like depression or cancer.

Three Parts of Creating a Genogram

$1$. Deciding what you want to learn; $2$. Researching your family history; $3$. Designing your genogram.

Index Person

The central person or starting point represented in a genogram chart.

Genogram Symbol: X

The standard symbol used in a genogram to indicate a person is dead.

Genogram Symbols for Relationships

Standard symbols used to represent status such as Spouses, Children, Separated, Divorced, Cut off, and Conflict.

Emotional Relationships in Genograms

Patterns found during research that differentiate between physical and emotional components, such as patterns of abuse or neglect.