Lec 8- Genes PSYCH 150

Flashcards about the inheritance of personality.

What is emphasized in Evolutionary Personality Psychology?

The role of individual differences in three basic ways: reactions to environmental experiences, repertoire of several behavioral strategies, and frequency-dependent traits.

What is Frequency-dependent selection?

It is when the survival and reproductive success of a trait depend on how common it is relative to other traits.

What is a limitation of the Evolutionary Perspective?

Backward speculation is difficult to test empirically.

What is a key point about reproductive instinct from an evolutionary perspective?

People generally are not trying to maximize their fitness, or trying to have as many kids as possible.

Define Behavioral Genetics

Addresses how personality traits that differ among individuals are passed from parent to child and shared by biological relatives and examines how genes influence broad patterns of behavior.

What percentage of genes within the human genome are similar across individuals?

99%

Name some study designs used in Behavioral Genetics

Adoption studies and Twin studies.

What are the three parts of Behavioral Genetics research?

Genes, Shared environment, and Non-shared environment.

Define Heritability.

Amount of variability in personality (phenotype) due to genetic differences (genotype)

What is the formula for calculating heritability?

Heritability quotient = (MZ - DZ) x 2

What is a key point about heritability?

It refers to the average genetic contribution to individual differences, NOT to a single individual.

How do environments affect heritability?

Heritability will be higher when all children have the same level of nutrition, but lower when nutrition differs.

What is an example of an evocative person-environment transaction?

A child who inherits a genetically based tendency to be easily angered may tend to create and thereby experience hostile social situations.

What is an example of an active person-environment transaction?

A person who inherits a predisposition toward sensation seeking may take dangerous drugs.

What is an example of reactive person-environment transaction?

A stressful environment may lead a genetically predisposed individual to develop mental illness but leave other individuals unscathed.

Define GWA studies

Genome-Wide Association studies look for associations between hundreds of thousands of genes and personality in large studies.

What does epigenetic mean?

Experience affects biology and genetic expression.

What is a conclusion from behavioral genetic research?

About half the variability in personality is not due to genes OR being raised in the same family and Your personality is influenced by unique experiences not shared with other family members

What is the formula for calculating heritability?

Heritability quotient = (MZ - DZ) x 2

Define Heritability.

Amount of variability in personality (phenotype) due to genetic differences (genotype)

What percentage of genes within the human genome are similar across individuals?

99%