AP Psychology unit 1 vocab

Nature

Genetic and hereditary influences on an individuals development and behavior, encompassing traits, predispositions, and biological makeup inherited from parents.

Heredity

The generic transmission of characteristics from parents to offspring, influencing Physical traits, mental processes, and predispositions to behaviors and conditions.

Environment

All external factors that influence an individuals development, behavior, and mental processes, including physical surroundings, family- culture, education and social interactions.

Evolutionary perspective

Viewed human mind and behavior through the lens of evolution and natural selection, proposing that our current psychological traits and abilities are adaptations that enhanced survival and reproductive success for our ancestors.

Twin studies

Compare identical twins (monozygotic) and fraternal twins (dizygotic) to determine the relative influence of genes (nature) and environment (nurture) on traits like intelligence and personality

Family studies

Used to understand the role of heredity (nature) and environment (nurture) in influencing individual psychological traits and behaviors

Adoption studies

Psychology, adoption studies examine how genetics (nature) and environment (nurture) interact to influence behavior by comparing adopted children to their biological parents (genetic relatives) and adoptive parents (environmental relatives).

Survival for reproductive success ( natural selection)

A process where organisms with traits that make them better suited to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce, thereby passing those advantageous traits to their offspring.

Eugenics

The morally discredited and pseudoscientific social philosophy advocating for the improvement of the human species through selective breeding.

Epigenetics

How environmental factors, experiences, and lifestyle choices can influence gene expression without altering the underlying DNA sequence itself.