Genetics, Evolutionary Psychology & Behavior Flashcards

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts from a lecture on Genetics, Evolutionary Psychology, and Behavior.

Behavior Genetics

Study of the power and limits of genetic and environmental influences on behavior.

Environment

Every non-genetic influence, from prenatal nutrition to the people and things around us.

Identical Twins

Develop from a single fertilized egg that splits in two, creating two genetically identical organisms (nature).

Fraternal Twins

Develop from separate eggs – genetically no closer than brothers and sisters, but they share the fetal environment (nurture).

Molecular Genetics

Subfield of biology that studies molecular structure and function of genes.

Heritability

Proportion of variation among individuals that we can attribute to genes (as opposed to environment).

Interaction

The interplay that occurs when the effect of one factor (like environment) depends on another factor (like heredity).

Evolutionary Psychology

The study of the evolution of behavior & mind, using principles of natural selection.

Natural Selection

Among the range of inherited trait variations, those contributing to reproduction & survival will most likely be passed on to succeeding generations.

Mutations

Random errors in gene replication that lead to a change in the sequence of nucleotides – the source of all genetic diversity.