Unit 1.1 Biological Bases of Behaviour: Interaction of Heredity & Environment -- AP Psychology

AP Psych - Unit 3.1 Biological Bases of Behaviour: Interaction of Heredity & Environment

Nature-Nurture Issue

Relative contributions that genes + experience help with the development of psychological traits + behaviours

Natural Selection

Inherited traits that help an organism to survive + reproduce in a particular environment

• traits will likely be passed down to future generations

Evolutionary Psychology

the study of the evolution + behaviour of the mind (using principles of natural selection)

Behaviour Genetics

study of how genetics + environment work together to influence behaviour

Heredity

Genetic transfer of characteristics from parents → offspring

Environment

Non-genetic influences on behaviour

Mutation

A random error in gene replication that leads to a change

Interaction

the effect of how one factor depends on another

Monozygotic twins

individuals who developed from a single fertilized egg that split in two, creating 2 genetically identical organisms

Dizygotic Twins

Individuals who developed from seperate fertilized eggs

• no closer than ordinary siblings — just shared a prenatal environment

Genes

The parts of DNA that carry inherited traits

Genetics

The study of Genes and how traits are passed down

Genome

The complete set of genetic instructions for making + maintaining an organism

Epigenetics

The study of how the environment and experiences can turn genes on or off, without changing the DNA itself