1.1 Interaction of Heredity and Environment

Behavior genetics: the study of how genetic and environmental factors influence behaviors. For example, twin studies.

Biological Psychology: Also known as bio/neuropsychology. The study of how the brain and nervous system influence behavior, thoughts, and emotions. For example a biological psychology might study how nuerotransmitters affect mood and behavior. For example how low levels of serotonin are linked to depression.

Charles Darwin: 19th century naturalist whos theory of evolution by natural selection explains how species, including humans, adapt and change over time due to variations that enhance survival or reproduction. For example, certain human behaviors like parental care can be understood as adaptive traits because they increase the chances of offspring survival and thus passing on genes to future generations.

effective psychological environment: The psychological atmosphere or context created by the interactions and relationships within a family, school, or other social setting, which influences an individual's behavior and development. For example, in a supportive family where parents provide encouragement and positive reinforcement, a child is likely to develop higher self-esteem and better social skills. This supportive atmosphere creates an effective psychological environment that promotes healthy emotional and psychological growth.

Enviornment: All external factors and influences, including physical surroundings, social interactions, and cultural contexts, that affect an individual's development, behavior, and mental processes. Example: A child raised in a nurturing home with access to educational resources and positive social interactions is likely to develop cognitive and social skills more effectively than a child raised in a neglectful or impoverished environment. This demonstrates how the environment influences development and behavior.

Epigenetics is the study of changes in gene expression that do not involve alterations to the DNA sequence itself. These changes can be influenced by environmental factors and can be passed down to future generations.Example:If identical twins are raised in different environments, one in a stressful environment and the other in a nurturing one, they may exhibit different health outcomes and behaviors due to epigenetic changes. Despite having identical DNA, the different experiences can lead to differences in how their genes are expressed.

Epigenetic Marks are chemical modifications to DNA or associated proteins that can influence gene activity without changing the DNA sequence. These marks can turn genes on or off and can be influenced by environmental factors. For example, A person who experiences chronic stress may develop epigenetic marks that alter the expression of genes related to stress response. This can lead to long-term changes in how their body and mind handle stress, potentially increasing the risk of anxiety or depression.

Evolutionary Psychology is the study of how evolutionary principles, such as natural selection, have shaped human behaviors and mental processes. Example: Evolutionary psychologists might study why people have a fear of snakes. This fear could be an evolved trait, as avoiding snakes would have increased the chances of survival for our ancestors.

Extroversion refers to a personality trait characterized by outgoing, sociable, and energetic behavior. Extroverts tend to seek out social stimulation and enjoy being around others. Example: An example of an extroverted trait is someone who feels energized and enthusiastic in social settings, enjoys meeting new people, and tends to be assertive and talkative in group situations. They may thrive in environments where they can interact frequently with others and gain energy from social interactions.

Wilhem Wundt- Father of Psychology

structuralism- Breaks down different parts to see how it works. in order to study the mind we would use introspection.

Introspection- looking inward to observe yourself/very difficult. You cant watch yourself doing something while doing it.

Stanley Hall- first man to get. PHd in psych.

Gestalt Psychology- a theory that explains how the human brain perceives the world as a whole, rather than as separate parts

Dorthea Dix- highlighted the unfair treatment of mentally ill people.

Functionalism- seeks to understand how mental and behvioral processes operate. Instead of looking at the different parts, they would turn on radio and engine to see how they help the car run.

Psychodynamic approach- Fist developed my sigmund freud. Originally called the psychoanalytic approach. Focuses on the unconcsious. Found that peoples personalities are shaped by unconsious motives. We can better understand our unconsious by analiyzing our dreams and speaking openly about how experiences/accessing our rep[ressed memories and feeling. Used free-assocsiation that uses a image to trigger another thought (saying large and what first comes to mind). Critics say that it seeks to study something that is hidden and cannot objectively be studied.

Behaviorism- Believed to focus on observable behivior. Without referencing that we cannot study ourselves. Can be broken up into reflexes/classical or behaviors/opera.

Classical/reflexes-

Behviors/opera-

Wilhelm Wundt (considered the "father of psychology" and founder of the first psychology lab), William James (known for functionalism), Sigmund Freud (associated with psychoanalysis), and John B. Watson (prominent figure in behaviorism)

Sociocultural approach- Analyzes a persons experiences and influences in life to explore how culture/religion/school/music/family.ethnicity affect you as an individual. Can be hard to measure culture itself.

Humanistic approach- Emphasizes our potential to grow as individuals. Our freewill and optimistic approach. Desire to move towards self-actualization.

Cognitive approach- Focuses on how we as individuals interpret, process, and remember information. This approach focuses on our inner-thinking and thoughts. Hard to study our thought processes in an objective observable manner. Almost impossible. Many of our thoughts could be flawed. Jhon Piaget.

Biological approach- Seeks to understand the links that exist between our biological and our psychological processes. Essentially how our behaviors and biological processes are influenced by our nervous system.

Biosocial approach- Looks at our how our thoughts, our feeling, our behaviors impact our health,. This approach is somewhat of a combination of the socio-culture approach and the biological approach.

Basic Research Domains:

Biological psychologists- Psychologists who seek to better understand the connections between the bosy and the mind.

Developmental psychologists- Focus on understanding peoples physical and congnitive and social changes that happen throughout their life span.

Cognitive psychologists- focus on experiemnts that look at how we think and solve problems and perceive the world around us.

Educational psychologists- interested in understanding the influences on teaching and learning.

Personality psychologists- Study individuals feeling and action and overall characteristics.

Social psychologists- analyze the different ways in which individuals impact one another in society.

Positive psychologists- focus on studying on what makes life worth living. focus on individuals and societal wellbeing.

Psychometric domain- These psychologists try to better measure individuals attitudes and personalitiy traits/ abilities needed to be able to work in a specific field.

Fraternal Twins

• Definition: Twins that develop from two different eggs fertilized by two different sperm; they share about 50% of their genes.

• Example: Two siblings born at the same time but who look different and may have different traits, like one being tall and the other short.

2. Genes

• Definition: Units of heredity that are passed from parents to offspring, determining traits.

• Example: A gene for eye color that determines whether a person has blue or brown eyes.

3. Gene Expression Blockage

• Definition: The process where gene expression is inhibited, preventing the gene from producing its corresponding protein.

• Example: Methyl molecules attaching to a gene can block its expression, meaning the trait associated with that gene may not be visible.

4. Genomes

• Definition: The complete set of genes or genetic material in an organism.

• Example: The human genome includes all the DNA sequences that make up human genes.

5. Heritability

• Definition: The proportion of variation in traits among individuals that can be attributed to genetics.

• Example: If heritability for height is 80%, it means that 80% of the differences in height among people in a population can be explained by genetic differences.

6. Identical Twins

• Definition: Twins that develop from a single fertilized egg that splits into two; they share 100% of their genes.

• Example: Two siblings who look exactly alike and often have similar traits and behaviors.

7. IQ Correlation

• Definition: The degree to which intelligence quotient (IQ) scores are related among individuals.

• Example: Studies show that identical twins raised together typically have a high correlation in IQ scores, indicating a strong genetic influence.

8. Methyl Molecules

• Definition: Small chemical groups that can attach to DNA and affect gene expression without changing the DNA sequence.

• Example: Methylation can silence a gene, preventing it from being expressed and affecting traits like behavior or health.

9. Molecular Genetics

• Definition: The study of genes at a molecular level and how they influence traits and behaviors.

• Example: Researching how specific gene variations are linked to increased risk for certain mental disorders.

10. Natural Selection

• Definition: The process by which organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.

• Example: In a population of rabbits, those with thicker fur may survive better in cold climates, leading to more offspring with thick fur.

11. Nature vs. Nurture Debate

• Definition: The discussion regarding the relative contributions of genetics (nature) and environment (nurture) to human behavior and traits.

• Example: Debating whether intelligence is more influenced by inherited genes or by educational opportunities.

12. Thomas Bouchard

• Definition: A psychologist known for his research on twins, particularly studies on the heritability of traits.

• Example: His work with the Minnesota Study of Twins Reared Apart showed strong genetic influences on personality and intelligence.

13. Twin and Adoption Studies

• Definition: Research methods used to study the influence of genetics and environment by comparing twins and adopted individuals.

• Example: Researchers may compare identical twins raised together with identical twins raised apart to assess the impact of environment versus genetics on behavior.

14. Evolutionary Psychology

• Definition: A field of psychology that examines how evolutionary principles influence human thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

• Example: Studying how mate selection may be influenced by evolutionary pressures to choose partners who can provide the best genetic advantages for offspring.

• Subjective

  • Definition/Purpose: Based on personal feelings, opinions, or experiences rather than external facts.

  • Example: A person's description of their emotional response to a song is subjective.

  • Connection: Important in psychology for understanding individual differences in perception and experience.

  Objective

  • Definition/Purpose: Based on observable phenomena and facts, independent of personal feelings or opinions.

  • Example: Measuring the time it takes for a person to react to a stimulus is an objective assessment.

  • Connection: Essential for scientific research and data collection in psychology.