behavioral genetics and evolutionary psychology

Sleep

helps the brain with memory, learning, and controlling emotions

Drugs

change how neurotransmitters work by increasing or decreasing brain activity and changing how brain cells communicate

Behavior genetics

the study of how much our behavior is influenced by genetics compared to the environment, and the limits of each

Heredity

the passing of genetic traits from parents to their children

Environment

all non-genetic influences on us, from prenatal nutrition to the people and things around us

Chromosomes

threadlike structures made of DNA that carry genes

DNA

a complex molecule that holds genetic information and makes up chromosomes

Genes

units of heredity found in chromosomes; they are segments of DNA that can produce proteins

Genome

the complete set of genetic instructions for an organism, made up of all the DNA in its chromosomes

Identical (monozygotic) twins

twins that come from one fertilized egg that splits into two, making them genetically identical

Fraternal (dizygotic) twins

twins that come from two different fertilized eggs; they are no more genetically similar than regular siblings but share the same prenatal environment

Heritability

the amount of variation in a group that can be explained by genetic differences; this can change depending on the populations and environments studied

Interaction

when the effect of one factor (like the environment) depends on another factor (like heredity)

Molecular genetics

a branch of biology that studies the structure and function of genes at the molecular level

Molecular behavior genetics

the study of how genes and the environment work together at the molecular level to influence behavior

Epigenetics

the study of how environmental factors affect gene expression without changing the DNA itself

Evolutionary psychology

the study of how behavior and mental processes evolved through natural selection

Natural selection

the idea that inherited traits that help an organism survive and reproduce in a specific environment are more likely to be passed on to future generations

Mutation

a random mistake in gene replication that causes a genetic change

Social script

a culturally learned guide that tells people how to behave in different situations