The Influence of Heredity and Environment on Development

This flashcard set covers the key terms, researchers, and theories regarding the impact of genetics and environmental factors on human development and intelligence as discussed in the lecture.

Nature/Nurture debate

A question in education regarding whether the most important factor that influences development is something inborn or the conditions in the environment.

Heredity

The passing of traits to offspring from its parents or ancestor, resulting from the transmission of genes.

Genetics

The study of heredity in biological sciences.

Genotype

The complete set of genes within an organism‟s genome which controls inherited traits.

Social environment

The immediate physical and social setting in which people live, including the culture they were educated in and the people they interact with.

Monozygotic twins

Identical siblings whose genotypes are duplicates of each other, serving as the best indicator of how biology affects human traits.

Dizygotic twins

Fraternal siblings who share exactly half ($50\%$) of their genes with each other.

Adoption studies

A research method used to dissect heredity and environment by comparing a child to their biological parents (genetics) and adoptive parents (environment).

Heritability

A mathematical estimate indicating how much of a trait's variation in a population can be attributed to genes.

Heritability of intelligence estimate

A range most researchers believe is between $60\%$ and $80\%$, though adult estimates can reach $75\%$ to $85\%$.

Flynn effect

The substantial and long-sustained increase in intelligence test scores measured globally from roughly $1930$ to the present date.

James R. Flynn

The researcher who documented and promoted awareness of the implications of the continuous, linear increase in IQ test scores.

Arthur Jensen

A researcher who in the late $1960s$ sparked controversy by proposing that ethnic differences in intelligence are due to heredity, estimating heritability at about $80\%$.

The Bell Curve

A book published in the $1990s$ by Richard Herrnstein and Charles Murray which suggested that intelligence is largely inherited.

Emotional Intelligence (EQ)

The capacity to deal with feelings wisely, involving self-concepts, social skills, creativity, and the ability to understand one's own and others' emotions.

EQ heritability

The estimate that approximately $50\%$ of emotional intelligence is inherited through genes and $50\%$ is obtained from environment.

Self-awareness

An emotional competency involving the knowledge of one‟s internal states, impulses, and resources.

Emotional awareness

The specific competency of recognising one‟s emotions and their effects.

Accurate self-assessment

The competency of knowing one‟s own strengths and limits.

Self-confidence

The competency regarding one‟s sense of self-worth and capabilities.

Empathy

The competency of being aware of others‟ feelings, needs, and concerns.

Reaction range

The limits placed on IQ by heredity, where heredity sets the upper and lower limits and environment determines where within those limits a person's IQ will lie.

Multiple intelligence theory

A modern framework that expands the definition of intelligence beyond logic to include aspects like spiritual quotient and awareness.