Evolutionary Psychology and Nature/Nurture

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to evolutionary psychology and the influence of genetics and environment on behavior.

Identical Twins

Twins that develop from a single fertilized egg that splits, resulting in two genetically identical organisms.

Fraternal Twins

Twins that develop from separate eggs and are genetically no closer than regular siblings.

Heritability

The proportion of variation among individuals that we can attribute to genetic factors.

Twin Studies

Research methods that involve comparing identical twins to fraternal twins to assess the influence of heredity on traits.

Evolutionary Psychology

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

Adaptations

In evolutionary psychology, adaptations refer to behavioral and physical traits that enhance survival and reproductive success.

Environment

Every nongenetic influence that can affect an individual, ranging from prenatal nutrition to social surroundings.

Interaction

The dependence of the effect of one factor (like environment) on another factor (like heredity).

Culture

The shared behaviors, ideas, attitudes, and traditions of a large group passed from one generation to another.

Norm

An understood rule for expected and accepted behavior within a culture.