Key Concepts in Behavioral Genetics and Evolutionary Psychology

Behavior Geneticists

Scientists who study how genetics and the environment influence behavior.

Environment

External factors, both physical and social, that impact an individual's development and behavior.

Heritability

A measure of how much of the variation in a trait within a population can be attributed to genetic differences among individuals.

Chromosome

A structure made of DNA that contains genes and is found in the nucleus of cells.

DNA

The molecule that carries genetic information in living organisms.

Genes

Segments of DNA that determine specific traits or characteristics by coding for proteins.

Genome

The entire set of an organism's genetic material, including all its genes.

Identical Twins

Twins who develop from a single fertilized egg that splits, making them genetically identical.

Fraternal Twins

Twins who develop from two separate eggs fertilized by different sperm, making them genetically distinct.

Molecular geneticist

Study genes at the molecular level to understand how they influence traits and biological processes.

Self-Regulating Genes

Genes that can control their activity based on internal or external signals, adjusting their expression as needed.

Epigenetics

The study of changes in gene activity that do not involve changes to the DNA sequence itself, often influenced by environmental factors and experiences.

Evolutionary Psychologists

Scientists who study how evolutionary processes, like natural selection, influence human behavior, thought patterns, and emotions.

Natural Selection

A process in which organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and reproduce, passing on their traits to the next generation.

Mutations

Changes in the DNA sequence of an organism that can lead to new traits; some mutations can be beneficial, harmful, or neutral to an organism's survival and reproduction.