Chapter_2_Santrock_18e

Natural Selection

An evolutionary process by which individuals of a species that are best adapted are the ones that survive and leave the most fit offspring.

Adaptive Behavior

Behavior that promotes an organism’s survival in its natural habitat due to possessing necessary characteristics.

Evolutionary Psychology

A branch of psychology that emphasizes the importance of adaptation and reproduction to ensure the survival of species.

Genotype

A person’s genetic material.

Phenotype

How an individual’s genotype is expressed in observable and measurable physical and psychological characteristics.

Chromosome

Threadlike structures made up of DNA, found in the nucleus of each cell.

Mitosis

The cellular reproduction in which a cell’s nucleus duplicates itself into two new cells.

Meiosis

Cell division that forms eggs and sperm, also known as gametes.

Fertilization

The reproductive stage when an egg and sperm fuse to create a zygote.

X-linked Inheritance

A mode of genetic inheritance where a mutated gene is carried on the X chromosome.

Genetic Imprinting

A process by which the expression of a gene differs depending on whether it is inherited from the mother or the father.

Polygenic Inheritance

Inheritance of a characteristic that is influenced by many genes, as well as environmental factors.

Down Syndrome

A form of intellectual disability caused by the presence of an extra copy of chromosome 21.

Fragile X Syndrome

A sex-linked disorder involving an abnormality in the X chromosome, which can cause intellectual disabilities.

Klinefelter Syndrome

A sex-linked chromosomal disorder in which males have an extra X chromosome (XXY) that leads to underdeveloped testes and other characteristics.

Turner Syndrome

A sex-linked disorder in females characterized by the absence or abnormality of one X chromosome, leading to various developmental issues.

Phenylketonuria (PKU)

A genetic disorder where the individual cannot properly metabolize phenylalanine, leading to intellectual disability if untreated.

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)

A reproductive technology where eggs and sperm are combined in a laboratory dish, and one or more resulting zygotes are transferred to the woman's uterus.

Behavior Genetics

The field of study that investigates the influence of heredity and environment on individual differences in human traits and behavior.

Epigenetic View

The perspective that development is the result of an ongoing interaction between heredity and environment.

Gene-Environment Interaction

The interplay between a specific measured variation in the DNA and a specific measured aspect of the environment.

Heritability

The proportion of variation among individuals in a population that is attributable to genetic factors.

Environmental Influence

Factors that can affect the traits and behavior of an individual, such as family, culture, and experiences.

Genetic Mutation

A change in the DNA sequence that can lead to changes in traits or health.

Homologous Chromosomes

A pair of chromosomes, one inherited from each parent, that are similar in shape and size and carry the same genes.

Autosomal Dominant Disorder

A genetic condition that only requires one copy of an abnormal gene from one parent to manifest.

Autosomal Recessive Disorder

A genetic disease that occurs when two copies of an abnormal gene are present, one from each parent.

Gene Therapy

A medical intervention that involves altering the genes inside a person's cells to treat or prevent disease.

Epigenetics

The study of heritable changes in gene expression that do not involve changes to the underlying DNA sequence.

Nurture

The influence of environmental factors on the development and behavior of individuals.

Genetic Counseling

A process to evaluate and understand a family's risk of an inherited medical condition.

Alleles

Different forms of a gene that can exist at a specific location on a chromosome.

Transcription

The process by which the information in a gene is copied to produce an RNA molecule.

Translation

The process by which proteins are synthesized from messenger RNA (mRNA) by ribosomes.

Genetic Drift

The change in the frequency of a gene variant (allele) in a population due to random sampling.

Founder Effect

Genetic diversity reduction that occurs when a small group of individuals establishes a new population.

Endophenotype

A genetic mechanism underlying a certain mental disorder or phenotype, used to identify specific genes.

Biological Phenomena

Observable events in biological systems, often used to study genetic expression and behavior.

Population Genetics

The study of genetic variation within and between populations and its evolutionary consequences.

Chromosomal Aberration

An abnormal change in the structure or number of chromosomes, which may lead to genetic disorders.

Behavioral Phenotype

The observable behavior patterns that result from an individual's genotype interacting with the environment.