PSYCH 104 Chapter 3b - Genes, Evolution, and Behaviour (Questions)

What is the process of natural selection?

If you have a trait that increases your likelihood of surviving, that trait will allow you to survive and pass said trait on, and if you have a trait that hinders survival, you will die and won’t be able to pass it on

Describe the process by which DNA encodes specific genetic behaviour.

DNA transcription into RNA, which is translated into amino acids. Amino acids from translation get folded up into proteins, which then determine how a cell functions

How are genotype and phenotype related? How are they different?

Genotype determines phenotype, but multiple different genotypes can lead to the same phenotype

How much are you related to your biological parents? Why?

50%. You inherit half of your dad’s genetic material (one set of chromosomes out of 2)

How much are you related to your biological sibling? Why?

50%. 50% of the material each of your parents gave you (25% of their total genetic material) will be the same that they gave your sibling, making up a total of 50%

How much are you related to your biological grandparents? Why?

25%. Father got 50% of genes from his dad, you get half of 50% (25%)

How genetically related are monozygotic twins?

100%

How genetically related are dizygotic twins?

50%

Which phenomenons can be explained through polygenetic transmission?

Variations in trait between genetically related individuals, similarities in traits between unrelated individuals

What is the procedure of recombinant DNA?

1. Use enzymes to cut unmatured DNA into pieces

2. Combine with DNA of another organism

3. Insert combined DNA into host cell

What are some problems with studying gene knockout? Why?

• Few behaviours are known to be linked to single genes

  • Most genes are polygenetic, meaning that turning off one gene likely won’t change the behaviour completely

• Multiple genes and systems can be involved

  • Many genes have multiple functions, so knockout could significantly affect another trait that isn’t being studied

What is the heritability coefficient? What does its numerical value mean?

A number between 0 and 1. The bigger the number, the more the variability is because of genes, the smaller the number, the more the variability is because of the environment

What does concordance rate mean in terms of genetic relatedness?

Higher rates with increasing relatedness have high possible genetic contribution, while low concordance rate have high possible environmental contribution

Is intelligence fully hereditary? Why or why not?

If intelligence was genetically determined, people with the same genes would have equal IQs, but n reality, genes account only for 50 - 70%. showing that the environment plays a large role in intelligence

How are genetics, reaction range, and environmental circumstances interconnected?

Genetics creates a reaction range in which an environment can exert its effects, and environmental effects determine where a person falls within these limits

What aspects should be studied when studying heredity of personality?

1. Genetic contribution

2. Shared family environment

3. Unique individual experiences

What kind of groups should be studied when studying heredity of personality?

1. Identical twins reared together

2. Identical twins reared apart

3. Fraternal twins reared together

4. Fraternal twins reared apart

What is the “Big Five” of personality?

Openness, conscientiousness, extraversion/intraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism

What were the findings of the Minnesota Twin Study?

Genetic factors contributed 39-58% of personality, and unique experiences contributed to 36-56% of personality. Familial environment played little or no effect, showing that genetics plays a bigger role in personality than environment

What drives evolution, according to the Theory of Evolution? Why?

Genetic mutations, otherwise the gene pool would contain the same traits

How has the human brain adapted over time?

Growth in areas associated with higher mental processes (attention, memory, thought, language)

What are the types of adaptations?

Broad and domain-specific adaptations

What are the main social adaptations found in humans?

• Innate ability to acquire language

• Responsiveness to human faces

• Group-seeking behaviour

• Recognition and experience of universal emotions

The more parental investment in offspring, the ___ the number of offspring. 

Smaller

How does competition work in mating systems?

There will be more competition for the sex that makes the highest parental investment (usually female), and the sex with the highest investment will be more picky in selecting a mate

What are the types of mating systems?

Monogamous, polygamous

What are the types of polygamous mating systems?

Polyandry, polygyny, polygynandry

What drives evolution in polygamous mating systems?

Competition between the more abundant sex (or equal competition for polygynadry)

If the kin selection theory is true, what should be observed?

Positive relationship between acts of altruism and degree of relatedness

If reciprocal altruism theory is true, what should be observed?

Individuals remembering who has and has not helped in the past and treating them accordingly

What could aggression have evolved from?

• A need to protect one’s mate, young, territory, food

• Take another’s resources

• Gain access to new resources

Why do animals establish dominance hierarchies instead of repeatedly fighting?

Want to minimize aggression in order to prevent the chance of death

What are some thought pitfalls that have been established in the realm of behavioural psychology?

Social darwinism, genetic determinism, “defending the status quo”

Why is genetic determinism false?

Environment plays a large role in determining behaviours, and genetic code isn’t fully determinate

Why is social darwinism false?

The “best” genetic makeup depends highly on environment, so any change in environmental factors will completely switch up the social hierarchy due to natural selection

Why is “defending the status quo” false?

Evolution happens because of environment and chance mutations, so just because a trait stays doesn’t mean it is good and just because a trait is selected against doesn’t mean it is bad