Chapter 6 Learning Objectives Genetics and Personality 1 Define genome and describe the hierarchy in the genome All of our genes very small number of genes differ across people Genome Chromosomes Genes DNA 2 Differentiate genotype and phenotype The genotype is the set of genes in our DNA which is responsible for a particular trait EX Two organisms that have even the minutest difference in their genes are said to have different genotypes DNA Susceptibility to diseases The phenotype is the physical expression or characteristics of that trait EX Hair color Eye color 3 Define behavioral genetics What are the controversies surrounding behavioral genetics To what degree are individual differences due to genetic environmental factors Suggest that genetic differences among individuals rather than differences in Eugenics the worry that behavioral genetic findings might be used to support parental socialization or personal experience are responsible for shaping the core features of personality programs intended to prevent some individuals from reproducing or bolster those who would advocate that some people be eliminated in order to create a master race 4 What are the three major questions asked by behavioral geneticists What causes variability in a trait genes vs environment Which environment effects are important e g parents teachers peers How do genes and environment interact 5 What is heritability What is environmentality How much an individual difference is explained by genetics only applies to a population at one point in time 6 Discuss three misconceptions about heritability 1 CANNOT be applied to single people A single individual s height for example is not 10 due to their environment It is more accurate to say that the variation between people in height is due to the environment 2 Is NOT constant unchangeable Heritability only applies to a population at one point in time The more similar the environment between people the high heritability will be 3 Is NOT a precise statistic Only as good as the sample used 7 List and define the four methods used in behavioral genetics Discuss some of the advantages and disadvantages of each method Family studies Selective breeding can t be done ethically with humans if selective breeding for a trait is successful the trait is at least somewhat genetic Disadvantage only works if a desired trait is heritable correlates genetic similarity w personality similarity if trait is heritable more genetic relatedness more similarity on traits Disadvantage they re never definitive because families share genes environment share genes environment parents environmental influence Correlations between adopted children and genetic parents genetic influence Disadvantage representativeness selective placement of adopted children the study of monozygotic twins dizygotic twins Disadvantage Correlations on traits between adopted children and adoptive Adoption studies Twin studies 8 Differentiate monozygotic and dizygotic twins Monozygotic twins share a single fertilized egg a single zygote monozygotic share 100 of their genes Shared placenta Dizygotic twins come from two separately fertilized eggs two zygotes dizygotic Share about 50 of their genes separate placentas 9 Compute the heritability estimate if I give you the correlations for monozygotic and dizygotic twins If monozygotic twins are more similar than dizygotic twins on a given trait then it s due to heritability Neuroticism DZ twins correlated at 18 MZ twins correlated at 41 Heritability 2XDifference in correlation Heritability 2 41 18 Heritability 2 23 46 Heritability 46 10 What is the equal environments assumption What is representativeness What is selective placement 11 What is nonadditive genetic variance Results from the interactions between genes 12 Describe the heritability estimates of extraversion neuroticism drinking and alcoholism and know which two traits of the Big Five have been shown to be the most heritable Extraversion 40 60 heritable Neuroticism 30 54 heritable Drinking 36 56 drinking related to sensation seeking extraversion neuroticism Alcoholism 50 71 13 Know that any phenotypic variance not accounted for by genetics is accounted for by the environment e g if height is 90 heritable 10 of the variance is due to the environment 14 Differentiate shared and non shared environments Shared Environment usually has either little or no impact on personality in siblings Nonshared Environment usually has a larger impact on personality in siblings 15 Define and recognize examples of an environment genetic interaction People with different genes are exposed to different environments Ex Passive reactive evocative active 16 Describe and recognize examples of the three types of genotype environment correlations active reactive and passive Active People with particular genotypes seek out particular environments EX Sensation seeking people more likely to be found around motorcycle stunts drugs skydiving Reactive evocative Parents response differ depending on child genotype EX Baby responds positively to being held so baby is held more Passive Parents provide both genes environment yet children do nothing to obtain that environment EX Parents provide genetic verbal ability keep books in the house but child does not read the books 17 Identify positive and negative genotype environment correlations Positive environment facilitates the genetically influenced behavior Negative environment impedes the genetically influenced behavior 18 Define molecular genetics and understand how D4DR is thought to influence risk taking and novelty seeking Molecular Genetics Techniques designed to identify the specific genes associated with specific traits such as personality traits D4DR Located in the short arm of chromosome 11 Codes for protein called dopamine receptor People with long ones tend to be unresponsive to dopamine causing them to seek out a dopamine buzz People with short ones tend to be highly responsive to already present dopamine causing them to avoid experiences that might boost too much dopamine Still inconclusive only explains about 4 of variance Chapter 7 Learning Objectives Physiological Approaches to Personality 1 Describe the key physiological measures used by modern personality researchers including electrodermal activity cardiovascular activity brain activity and chemical analyses of blood Electrodermal Activity Skin Conductance Mild electrical current transferred across and saliva Know some of the
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