Biopsychology Chapter 2

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Questions and Answers

What is the primary focus of Chapter 2 in the provided text?

The history of psychology

The role of environment in behavior

The biological basis of behavior (correct)

The principles of learning and memory

What is the main drawback of traditional physiological–psychological and nature–nurture dichotomies?

They are too time-consuming

They are too expensive

They are too complex

They are too simplistic (correct)

What is the significance of social dominance and courtship displays in evolutionary theory?

They are a sign of aggression

They are important for survival and reproduction (correct)

They are irrelevant to evolution

They are a sign of submission

What is the pathway of evolution described in the chapter?

From single-cell organisms to humans Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of Mendel's work with pea plants?

It informed us about the mechanisms of inheritance Signup and view all the answers

What is the process of gene expression?

The expression of genes into phenotypes Signup and view all the answers

What is epigenetics, and how has it transformed our understanding of genetics?

It is the study of gene expression, and it has shown that genetics are not fixed Signup and view all the answers

What insights into the genetics of behavior were gained from early research on selective breeding?

That genetics play a significant role in behavior Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of chordates?

They have dorsal nerve cords Signup and view all the answers

What is an advantage of bony fishes leaving the water?

They have access to fresh water and new terrestrial food sources Signup and view all the answers

What is shown in Figure 2.6?

A recently discovered fossil of a missing evolutionary link Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of reptiles?

They lay shell-covered eggs Signup and view all the answers

When did the first Homo species emerge from a species of Australopithecus?

Over 2 million years ago Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of mammals?

They develop mammary glands to nurture young Signup and view all the answers

What is the genus of humans?

Homo Signup and view all the answers

When did Homo sapiens emerge?

275,000 years ago Signup and view all the answers

What is the main issue with traditional dichotomies in understanding the biology of behavior?

They oversimplify the complex interactions between genes and environment Signup and view all the answers

What is the term used to describe the deficiency in awareness of one's own body parts?

Asomatognosia Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of classic research on phenylketonuria (PKU)?

The genetics of behavior Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of distinguishing between the development of individuals and the development of individual differences?

To understand how individuals develop and how individual differences arise Signup and view all the answers

What is the main limitation of heritability estimates?

They are often misinterpreted Signup and view all the answers

How can twin studies be used to study the interaction of genes and experience?

By comparing identical twins to fraternal twins Signup and view all the answers

What is the term used to describe the philosophical perspective that separates the mind and body?

Cartesian dualism Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of Figure 2.1?

The areas of the brain damaged in asomatognosia Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the implications of DNA methylation and histone remodeling on gene expression?

They can either decrease or increase gene expression Signup and view all the answers

What is the main focus of Figure 2.19?

Histone remodeling and DNA methylation Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the 'maze-bright' and 'maze-dull' rats in the context of genetics?

They are an example of selective breeding and the interaction of genetic factors and experience Signup and view all the answers

What is the outcome of rearing maze-dull rats in an enriched environment, as shown in Figure 2.21?

They do not make significantly more errors than maze-bright rats Signup and view all the answers

What is the general concept that DNA methylation and histone remodeling are related to?

Gene expression Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the work by Tryon (1934) mentioned in the text?

It is a classic example of selective breeding Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between DNA methylation and gene expression?

It can either increase or decrease gene expression Signup and view all the answers

What is a common feature of histone remodeling and DNA methylation?

They are both related to gene expression Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the physical expression of a trait?

Phenotype Signup and view all the answers

What happens during meiosis?

Cell division that produces gametes Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for two genes that control the same trait?

Alleles Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of fertilization?

A zygote with 23 pairs of chromosomes Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for an individual with two identical alleles for a particular trait?

Homozygous Signup and view all the answers

What is the dominant trait in the example of seed color in pea plants?

Brown Signup and view all the answers

Where are genes located in humans?

On chromosomes Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the genetic makeup of an individual?

Genotype Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Evolution, Genetics, and Experience

Learning objectives for the chapter include describing the origins of physiological-psychological and nature-nurture dichotomies, explaining why traditional dichotomies are flawed, and describing the origins of evolutionary theory.

The Origins of Dichotomous Thinking

The physiological-psychological dichotomy originated from the debate between science and religion, leading to Cartesian dualism.
The nature-nurture dichotomy emerged from the debate between behaviorism and ethology.

Problems with Traditional Dichotomies

Problem 1: Asomatognosia, a deficiency in awareness of one's own body parts, often involves damage to the right frontal and parietal lobes.
Figure 2.1 illustrates the damage associated with asomatognosia.

Course of Human Evolution

The evolution of vertebrates involved the development of chordates with dorsal nerve cords and vertebrates with spinal bones.
Amphibians evolved from bony fishes leaving water, offering advantages such as fresh water and new terrestrial food sources.
Reptiles evolved from amphibians, laying shell-covered eggs and developing dry scales.
Mammals evolved from reptiles, developing mammary glands to nurture young and raising young in the mother's body.
Humans emerged from the order primates, with the genus Homo emerging from Australopithecus over 2 million years ago, and Homo sapiens emerging 275,000 years ago.

Mendelian Genetics

True-breeding lines involve white (ww) and brown (BB) traits, with brown being dominant.
The genotype (Bw) determines the phenotype (brown seeds).
Figure 2.14 illustrates Mendel's theory in action, showing how the genotype determines the phenotype.
Each inherited factor is a gene, with alleles controlling the same trait, and homozygous/heterozygous describing the combination of alleles.

Chromosomes

Genes are located on chromosomes, with humans having 23 pairs of chromosomes, each with an allele.
Meiosis produces gametes (egg and sperm cells), while mitosis is involved in all other cell division.
Fertilization involves the attachment of sperm cells to the surface of an egg cell.

Modern Genetics: Growth of Epigenetics

Advances in epigenetics include the recognition of non-gene DNA, multiple RNA types, advances in gene expression, and the discovery of epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation and histone remodeling.

Selective Breeding of "Maze-Bright" and "Maze-Dull" Rats

Selective breeding of "maze-bright" and "maze-dull" rats demonstrates the interaction of genetic factors and experience.
Phenylketonuria is a single-gene metabolic disorder that has informed our understanding of the genetics of behavior.

Figure 2.20: Selective Breeding

Figure 2.20 illustrates the selective breeding of maze-bright and maze-dull strains of rats by Tryon (1934).

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Description

This quiz covers chapter 2 of Biopsychology 11th edition, focusing on evolution, genetics, and experience in understanding the biology of behavior.