Unit 1.1: Interaction of Heredity and Environment

Heredity

How traits get passed down from your parents through their DNA.
(Examples: eye color, height, some personality traits.)

Nature

The stuff you’re born with — your genes and biology.

Nurture

Everything around you that shapes you — your environment, family, friends, culture, and experiences.

Genetic predisposition

A built-in tendency you might have because of your genes.
(Example: You might be more likely to develop anxiety if it runs in your family.)

Evolutionary perspective

Explains behavior by asking if it helped humans survive.

Eugenics

A bad old idea about controlling who can have kids to “improve” people.

Twin studies

Studying twins to see what comes from genes and what comes from environment.

Family studies

Looking at families to see if traits run in families.

Adoption studies

Comparing adopted kids to birth and adoptive parents to see genes vs upbringing.