Unit 1 AP Psych

Biological Bases of Behavior

Nurture (Experiences, Environment)

The influences of external factors after conception, such as life experiences, upbringing, and environmental conditions, that shape an individual's development, behavior, and personality. It is often contrasted with 'Nature' in the Nature vs. Nurture debate.

Nature (Genetic Predisposition, Heredity)

The influences of genetic inheritance and other biological factors on an individual's physical traits, predispositions, and psychological characteristics. It is often contrasted with 'Nurture' in the Nature vs. Nurture debate.

Evolutionary Perspective

A psychological approach that attempts to explain useful mental and psychological traits—such as memory, perception, or language—as adaptations, i.e., as the functional products of natural selection.

Natural Selection

The process by which characteristics that enhance an organism's survival and reproduction are passed on to succeeding generations because these characteristics enable specific organisms to thrive relative to others in their environment.

Survival

In the context of evolutionary psychology, refers to the ability of an organism or species to persist over time by withstanding various threats and successfully adapting to its environment, allowing it to reach reproductive age.

Reproduction

In the context of evolutionary psychology, refers to the biological process by which organisms create offspring, thereby propagating their genes and ensuring the continuation of their species or the genetic characteristics that favored their 'Survival'.

Eugenics

A social philosophy advocating the improvement of human hereditary traits through various forms of intervention. Historically, it often involved controversial practices, such as forced sterilization or selective breeding, based on the belief that certain inherited traits are desirable or undesirable.