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Mizzou PSYCH 2210 - Nature and Nurture (The Brain and Genes)
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PSYCH 2210 1st Edition Lecture 3 Outline of Last Lecture II. Introduction to NeuroscienceIII. Mind and Brian: An Empirical exampleIV. Historical Originsa. Aristotleb. Galenc. Hippocratesd. Leonardo Da Vincie. Rene Descartesf. Thomas Willisg. Franz GallV. Location of Functiona. Broca’s areaVI. Advances in Experimental Methodology: Brain can be observed, MeasuredVII. Experimental DesignVIII. Somatic InterventionIX. Behavioral InterventionX. Correlation (not manipulating anything)Outline of Current Lecture XI. Nature and NurtureXII. The Genetic CodeXIII. Genes and BehaviorXIV. The Human Genome ProjectXV. Heredity: Destiny or Predisposition?a. Genes and Individualityb. Heredity, Environment and VulnerabilityXVI. In PerspectiveXVII. Drawing ConclusionsCurrent LectureI. Nature and Nurture a. Extremely important issue in understanding the biological bases of behavior b. “How important is heredity relative to the environmental influences in shaping behavior?”These notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor’s lecture. GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes, not as a substitute.c. Controversial topic- as far as public opinion is concernedd. Arguments are based on emotion and values almost as often as they appeal to evidence and reasoni. Critics complain that attributing behavior to heredity is just a form of excusing action s for which the person or society should be held accountable. e. Large number of behaviors turning out to have some heredity influence f. There is much confusion about heredity, important to understand what it means to say that behavior is in fact hereditary. II. The Genetic Codesa. Gene: biological unit that directs cellular processes and transmits inherited characteristics. i. Found on the chromosomes located inside of nucleus of each cell ii. Some genes found in the mitochondriaiii. Each human body cell has 46 chromosomes arranged in 23 pairsiv. Each have distinct differencesv. Genes for different functions are found in specific hormonesb. Chromosomes are referred to by number except for the sex chromosomesi. Men have XY, Women have XX in mammalsii. Y chromosome is much shorter than the X iii. Sex cells each have 23 chromosomes. iv. When the sperm enters the ovum during fertilization, the chromosomes of the two cells merge to restore the number to 46. v. *The fertilized egg (zygote) then undergoes rapid cell division and development on its way to becoming a functioning organism. For the first 8 weeks (for humans), the new organism is referred to as an embryo and from then until birth as a fetus.c. Deoxyribonucleic acid: (DNA)—double stranded chain of chemical molecules thatlooks like a ladder that has been twisted around itself. i. Often referred to as a double helixii. Composed of four nucleotides (adenine, thymine, guanine, and cytosine).iii. We only partially understand how genes control the development of the body and its activities, as well as how they influence many aspects of behavior. iv. We do know that genes exert their influence in a deceptively simple manner: they provide directions for making proteins. d. Although paired genes have the same type of function, their effects often differ: these different versions of a gene are called alleles. i. In some cases the two alleles blend to produce a resulte. Dominant allele will produce its effect regardless of which allele it is paired with on the other chromosome. A recessive allele will have an influence only when it is paired with the same allele. i. Homozygous: the two alleles are identicalii. Heterozygous: two different alleles f. Genotypes and Phenotypesi. Genotype: combinations of genesii. Phenotype: characteristic. g. Characteristic produced by an unpaired gene on the X chromosome is “x-linked”h. Many characteristics are determined by several genes: they are “polygenic”III. Genes and Behavior a. Charles Darwin helped establish the idea that behavioral traits can be inherited in humans but the idea fell into disfavor as an emphasis on learning as the major influence on behavior became increasingly favored. b. 1960’s-1970’s: tide of strict environmentalism formed and the perspective shiftedtoward a balanced view of nature versus nurture. c. 1992: American Psychological Association was able to identify genetics as one o the themes that best represent present and future of psychology. d. Intelligence is the most investigated behavioral trait under genetic influence.i. Other examples: drug addiction, alcoholism, schizophrenia, major mood disorders, and anxiety (partially genetically influenced) e. Genes do not provide a script for behaving intelligently or instructions for homosexual behavior. f. Genes control the production of proteins; the proteins in turn affect the development of brain structures, the production of neural transmitters and the functioning of the glandular system. IV. The Human Genome Projecta. Identifying genes: whether people who share a particular characteristic (phenotype) also share a particular gene or genes that other people don’t have. b. Difficult task because the amount of DNA is so great. c. 1990: geneticists at laboratories around the world began a project to identify all of the genes in our chromosomes, or the human genome. d. The goal was to map the location of all the genes on the human chromosomes and determine the genes’ codes—that is, the order of bases within each gene. e. When it comes to gene functioning, there is still more mystery than enlightenment. Much of the non-protein-coding DNA controls the expression of other genes—the translation of their encoded information into the production ofproteins, thus controlling their functioningf. What do genes do? i. Gene map does not answer this questionii. Ex: Searching for a gene that is responsible for Huntington’s disease, they found that most of the affected individuals in a large extended family shared a couple of previously identified genes with known location on chromosome 4 while the disease free family members didn’t. iii. Identifying the genes and their functions will improve our understanding of human behavior and psychological as well as medical disordersV. Heredity: Destiny or Predisposition? a. To many people, the idea that several, if not most, of their behavioral characteristics are hereditary implies that they are clones of their parents and their future is engraved in stone by their genesb. This view creates considerable resistance to the


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Mizzou PSYCH 2210 - Nature and Nurture (The Brain and Genes)

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