Chapter 8

Human development

The scientific study of changes that occur in people as they age from conception until death.

Longitudinal design

Research design in which one participant or group of participants is studied over a long period of time.

Cohort effect

Impact on development when a group of people share a common time period or life experience.

Nature

The influence of our inherited characteristics on our personality, physical growth, intellectual growth, and social interactions.

Nurture

The influence of the environment on personality, physical growth, intellectual growth, and social interactions.

Behavioral genetics

The field of study in which researchers determine how much of behavior is the result of genetic inheritance and how much is due to a person's experiences.

Dominant gene

A gene that actively controls the expression of a trait.

Recessive gene

A gene that only influences the expression of a trait when paired with an identical gene.

Polygenetic inheritance

The process of the influence of more than one pair of genes on any one trait.

Teratogens

Any factor that can cause a birth defect.