MB1 - Genes and Evolution Expand Cards

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  • Created by: Psych951
  • Created on: 11-05-18 14:44

Genetic Influences

  • Mendel
  • Genotype vs Phenotype
  • Chromosomes
  • Genes
  • Alleles
  • Human genome project
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Genetic Influences Expanded

  • Mendel  investigated inheritance
  • Genotype = Specific genetic makeup of individual = Limits of development; Phenotype = Observable characteristics = expression of genotype and other observable traits = Interaction between genes and environment
  • Chromosomes = Double-stranded tightly coiled molecules of DNA.
  • Genes = Biological unit of heredity made up of nucleotides = phosphate, pentose sugar and nitrogenous base. – RNA used during transcription and translation, which produces protein.
  • Allele = Alternative forms of same gene that produce different characteristics
  • Human genome project = Map DNA of human 
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Behavioural Genetics

  • Focus
  • Degree of relatedness
  • Degree of concordance
  • Study methods
  • Heritability coefficient
  • Disposition
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Behavioural Genetics Expanded

  • Study of how heredity and environmental factors influence psychological characteristics (more biology than psychology)
  • Degree of relatedness = How closely related/shared genes
  • Degree of concordance = Shared characteristics/co-occurrence
  • Ways of studying: Family studies; adoption studies; twin studies.
  • Heritability coefficients: Estimate of extent to which variation in a phenotypic characteristic within a group is caused by genes e.g. intelligence has coefficient of .5-.7, e.g. Different types of personality traits have varying coefficients.
  • Genes provide a direction for our behaviour
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Environments

  • Shared
  • Unshared
  • Twin studies
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Environments Expanded

  • Shared = Members in environment experience common features.
  • Unshared = Unique experiences.
  • Twin studies help estimate extent to which genes, shared and unshared effect group variance. 
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Gene-Environment Interactions

  • Environment affecting genes
  • Reaction range
  • Genes affecting environment
  • Genetic manipulation
  • Genetic screening
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Gene-Environment Influences Expanded

  • Environment effects genes:
    • Human gene-intervention
    • Epigenetics
    • Effects phenotypes.
  • Reaction range = Range of possibilities for characteristics that our genes allow. – Environment determines where individuals fall within these boundaries.
  • Genes effect environment:
    • Parents’ genes influence environment they provide for you
    • Effects the way others interact with you
    • Influence self-selection of compatible environments.
  • Genetic manipulation: Duplicate and modify structure of genes to alter functioning.
  • Genetic screening: Consider benefits and drawbacks e.g. save lives but issue of accuracy – genetic counselling occurs to understand it all. 
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Evolution and Behaviour

  • Biological predisposition
  • Evolution
  • Natural selection
  • Mutations
  • Evolutionary noise
  • Adaptations
  • Kin selection
  • Reciprocal altruism
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Evolution and Behaviour Expanded

  • Biological predispositions = Many genes are shared with all other humans as products of evolution
  • Evolution = Change over time in frequency of particular gene and characteristic produced (in an interbreeding population)
  • Natural selection = Characteristics that increase survival and reproduction are more likely to be preserved and so becomes more common in species.
  • Mutations = Random events in gene reproduction during division of cells – Drives evolution.
  • Evolutionary noise = Traits that may not be relevant to survival all the time.
  • Adaptations: Physical or behavioural changes that allow organisms to meet environmental demands
  • Kin selection = Do things to help children survive and preserve genes.
  • Reciprocal altruism = Reduce own fitness to survive to help another organism’s survival and reproduction, in hope they will later return the favour
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Evolution and Human Nature

  • Evolutionary psychology 
  • Inherited behavioural adaptations
  • Fixed action pattern
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Evolution and Human Nature Expanded

  • Evolutionary Psychology: Human nature is the expression of inborn biological tendencies as a result of evolution. - Environment shapes personal and species adaptation.
  • Inherited behavioural adaptations = Traits that organisms are born with that help survive and reproduce. – Cultural universal behaviour is evidence of this.
  • Fixed action pattern: Unlearned behaviour automatically triggered by releasing stimulus
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Evolution and Human Nature Applied

  • Mating Preferences and Evolution
    • Men and women's desires
    • Sexual strategies theory
    • Social structure theory
  • Personality and Evolution
    • Big 5
    • Strategic pluralism
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Evolution and Human Nature Applied Expanded

  • Mating preferences and evolution:
    • Men and women’s sexual desires don’t always match, presenting adaptive problems – Overall agreement on desirable traits
    • Sexual strategies theory = Mating reflects inherited tendencies shaped over time that were responses to adaptive problems i.e. most successful survived so we search for that still
    • Social structure theory = Argued biological and environmental factors interacted to produce mating strategies, and that these are learnt through social roles in society that are passed from parents through learning.
  • Personality and evolution:
    • Big 5 = extraversion, neuroticism, conscientiousness, agreeableness and openness. - Big five traits seem to be universal, and helped survival and reproduction.
    • Strategic pluralism = Multiple, possibly contradicting, behavioural strategies may be adaptive in specific environments and so are all maintained - Explains individual levels of big five and variations in outcomes of big 5 = evolution produces typical patterns which are then affected by individual environment and genes.
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Problems/Fallacies

  • Circular reasoning
  • Attributing all to natural selection
  • Survival of strongest
  • No plan
  • Genetic determinism
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Problems/Fallacies Expanded

  • Circular reasoning = People think that because a trait is evident now it must have been caused by evolution
  • Attributing every characteristic to natural selection – NS is actually random and mechanical.
  • Survival of fittest, not survival of strongest
  • Evolution is not an intentional plan – Just depends if organisms are suited to particular environment at particular time
  • Genetic determinism = Genes do not produce unavoidable behaviours. 
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