Eugenics Overview

Flashcards based on lecture notes about eugenics, including its definitions, history, and implications.

What is eugenics?

The improvement of the human race through selective breeding processes.

What are the two main types of eugenics?

Positive eugenics and negative eugenics.

Who coined the term 'eugenics'?

Sir Francis Galton.

What was the Jukes family used to illustrate in eugenics studies?

The concept of hereditary criminality and pauperism.

What did the sociologist Richard Goethel conclude about the Jukes family?

He found that environmental factors contributed significantly to their circumstances.

What was the main concern in Britain regarding eugenics during the early 1900s?

The biological degeneration of the aristocracy.

What significant laws were influenced by eugenics in the U.S. in the early 20th century?

Immigration laws and sterilization laws.

What was eugenics meant to prevent according to its proponents?

The 'inferior' population from reproducing.

What was the outcome of the Buck v. Bell Supreme Court case?

The court upheld the constitutionality of involuntary sterilization.

How did eugenics affect immigration policies in the U.S.?

It led to strict laws that curtailed the immigration of certain ethnic groups.

What was one of the negative outcomes of the eugenics movement?

Forced sterilization of individuals deemed 'unfit'.

What is 'consumer eugenics'?

The idea of designing babies through genetic selection and modification.

How did eugenics contribute to racial and class discrimination?

It promoted ideas against mixing races and classes, leading to segregation.

What is one modern issue that echoes the eugenic ideas of the past?

The ethical implications of genetic testing and designer babies.

What did the eugenics movement fail to address according to modern genetics?

The complexity of traits which are influenced by multiple genes.