Biopsychology, Genetics and Evolution

Biopsychology

an interdisciplinary area of psychology which examines how our behaviors, ideas, and emotions are influenced by the brain, neurotransmitters, and other biological components. Physiological psychology, behavioral neuroscience, or psychobiology are other names for this branch of psychology.

Genetics

it is the study of genes and how traits are passed down from one generation to another.

Evolution

• this consists of changes in the heritable traits of a population of organisms as successive generations replace one another

• change over generations

Gregor Mendel

He demonstrated that inheritance occurs through genes, units of heredity that maintain their structural identity from one generation to another. Genes come in pairs because they are aligned along chromosomes (strands of genes) that also come in pairs

gene

has been defined as a portion of a chromosome, which is composed of the double stranded molecule deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA).

ribonucleic acid (RNA)

A strand of DNA serves as a template (model) for the synthesis of ____ molecules, which is a single strand

homozygous

Anyone with an identical pair of genes on the two chromosomes is _____ for that gene

heterozygous

An individual with an unmatched pair of genes is _____ for that gene.

dominant gene

A _____ shows a strong effect in either the homozygous or heterozygous condition

recessive gene

A ______ shows its effects only in the homozygous condition.

intermediate gene

An _____ is partial or incomplete dominance of a gene.

sex-linked genes

The genes on the sex chromosomes (designated X and Y) are known as

female

a ____ has two X chromosomes

male

A ____ has an X and a Y

sex- limited genes

which are present in both sexes, generally on autosomal chromosomes, but active mainly in one sex.

mutation

a heritable change in a DNA molecule.

microduplication or microdeletion

During the process of reproduction, part of a chromosome that should appear once might instead appear twice or not at all. We call this ____.

epigenetics

• deals with changes in gene expression without modification of the DNA sequence.

• the study of how an individual’s

  behavior and their environment can cause changes that affect the way your genes work.

• these changes are reversible and do not change your DNA sequence, but they can change how your body reads a DNA sequence.

monozygotic

• from one egg

• usually called as “identical” twins

dizygotic

from two eggs

Heredity

defined as the manner in which characteristics and traits are passed on from parents to their offsprings.

Evolution

a change over generations in the frequencies of various genes in a population.

artificial selection.

If certain individuals are more successful than others in finding food, escaping enemies, attracting mates, or protecting their offspring, then their genes will become more prevalent in later generations

Evolutionary psychologists

They presumes all human behaviours reflect the influence of physical and psychological predispositions that helped human ancestors survive and reproduce.