nature v nurture

behavioral genetics

the science of how genes and environments work together to influence behavior

quantitative genetics

the scientific discipline in which similarities among individuals are analyzed based on how biologically related theu are.

heritability coefficient

measures how strongly differences among individuals are related to differences among their genes.

adoption study

a behavior genetic research method that involves comparison of adopted children to their adoptive biological parents.

twin studies

a behavior genetic research method that involves comparison of the similarity of identical (monozygotic; MZ) and fraternal (dizygotic; DZ) twins.

allele

specific version of a gene

chromosome

long strand of genetic information

DNA

double helix-shaped molecule made of nucleotide base pairs

dominant allele

allele whose phenotype will be expressed in an individual that possesses that allele

genetic environmental correlation

view of gene-environment interaction that asserts our genes affect our environment, and our environment influences the expression of our genes.

genotype

genetic makeup of an individual

heterozygous

consisting of two different alleles

homozygous

consisting of two identical alleles.

mutation

sudden, permanent change in a gene

phenotype

individual’s inheritable physical characteristics

polygenic

multiple genes affecting a given trait

recessive allele

allele whose phenotype will be expressed if only an individual is homozygous for that allele

natural selection

states that organisms that are better suited for their environments will survive and reproduce compared to those that are poorly suited for their environments

epigenome

a dynamic layer of info associated with DNA that differs between individuals and can be altered through various experiences and environments

epigenetics

study of gene-environment interactions, such as how the same genotype leads to different phenotypes

fraternal twins

twins who develop from two different eggs fertilized by different sperm, so their genetic material varies the same as in non-twin siblings

gene

sequence of dna that controls or partially controls physical characteristics.

identical twins

twins that develop from the same sperm and egg

range of reactions

asserts our genes set the boundaries within which we can operate, and our environment interacts with the genes to determine where in that range we will fall