Chapter 3A - Behavioral Neuroscience

Behavioral Neuroscience

- the field that studies the relationship between neurological processes (typically, brain activity) and psychological functions (such as memory, emotion, and perception)

Hown does Charles Darwin's Theory of Evolution influence the idea of Nature vs Nurture?

- The Human Brain has evolved into its present form because it helped people throughout history to adapt successfully and survive long enough to reproduce.

Behavioral Genetics

• Studies how heredity affects behavior

Conception

- when sperm cell penetrates and fertilizes an egg

- (zygote receives 23 chromosomes from each parent)

Genotype

- genetic inheritance/makeup of an organism

Phenotype

- refers to the overt expression of an individual's genotype (genetic inheritance) in his or her appearance or behavior

Dominant Genes

- take precedence over recessive genes

Recessive Genes

- show up in phenotypes only when they occur together

Polygenic Traits

- describes a characteristic that is influenced by many genes

Heritability of Intelligence

- 50-70%

-This indicates that the variability in intelligence is strongly, but not solely, influenced by heredity; also an environmental component.

Identical Twins

-twins who come from the same fertilized egg

-have the same heredity (same genetic inheritance); also same sex

Fraternal Twins

- Twins who develop from separate fertilized eggs.

- Do not have identical genes; can be the same or opposite sex; have the same degree of genetic similarity as ordinary siblings do

Adoption Studies

- measure the correlation in particular traits between adopted children and their biological parents and between those same children and their adoptive parents.

Results of Lisa Ling Studies

identical twins raised separately are remarkably similar in personality, intelligence (IQ), behaviors (like religiosity, aggression), interests, and even some aptitudes than faternal twins