Genetics and Environment Overview
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Genetics and Environment Overview

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Questions and Answers

Who is credited with coining the term 'Behaviourism'?

  • Edward Lee Thorndike
  • J.B. Watson (correct)
  • B.F. Skinner
  • Ivan Pavlov

    • Which form of learning involves associating two stimuli that occur simultaneously?

  • Operant Conditioning
  • Observational Learning
  • Classical Conditioning (correct)
  • Cognitive Learning

    • What does the 'Law of Effect' state?

  • Responses are always habitual.
  • Learning is always automatic.
  • Reinforcement strengthens associations. (correct)
  • All animals learn differently.

    • In Edward Lee Thorndike's experiments, what was primarily measured?

    <p>The time taken for an animal to escape a box</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following laws states that the more an association is used, the stronger it becomes?

    <p>Law of Use</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which statement accurately describes the relationship between nature and nurture in behavior?

    <p>Genetics primarily shape behavior.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What kind of data do behaviorists believe should be used to study psychology?

    <p>Empirical data only</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary focus of methodological behaviorism?

    <p>Observing behavior and its associations</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a key characteristic of a good theory?

    <p>It has to be general enough to fit several situations.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which research method provides a snapshot of the current state of affairs?

    <p>Descriptive Research</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of research is designed to discover relationships among variables?

    <p>Correlational Research</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In experimental research, the variable that is manipulated by the experimenter is known as the?

    <p>Independent Variable</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does internal validity primarily address in experimental research?

    <p>Whether the manipulation of the independent variable is responsible for changes in the dependent variable.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What aspect does construct validity assess in a research study?

    <p>If the measures accurately capture the intended construct.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a primary focus of behavioral genetics?

    <p>The interaction between genes and the environment in influencing behavior.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is a potential threat to internal validity?

    <p>Measurement error</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary focus of behaviorism according to J.B. Watson?

    <p>The prediction and control of behavior</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the Little Albert experiment, what was paired with the white rat to condition fear?

    <p>A loud clanging noise</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What do soft determinists believe about human behavior?

    <p>Some behavior is influenced by the environment while some is controllable</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What essential component does operant conditioning focus on?

    <p>The organism's interaction with the environment</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who developed the hierarchy of needs theory culminating in self-actualization?

    <p>Abraham Maslow</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What aspect of therapy did Carl Rogers focus on?

    <p>Person-centered approach</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of reinforcement schedule involves a changing number of responses?

    <p>Variable ratio</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Thorndike's beliefs include the idea of inherent tendencies, which were later challenged by which group?

    <p>Behaviorists</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the term 'epigenetics' refer to?

    <p>The study of differences in gene expression without changes to the DNA.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a key focus of behavioral genomics?

    <p>The interactions between multiple genes and environmental factors.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How many pairs of chromosomes do humans have?

    <p>23 pairs</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which trait is NOT one of the five factors in the Five Factor Model of personality?

    <p>Creativity</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the heritability coefficient measure?

    <p>The degree of genetic variation among individuals.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What process involves males competing with each other to mate with females?

    <p>Intrasexual selection</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary function of nucleotides in DNA?

    <p>To bind and form the structure of DNA.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which statement about the heritability quotient is true?

    <p>It ignores genetic interactions among individuals.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the role of a methyl group in gene expression?

    <p>It modifies DNA, affecting gene expression.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT considered part of evolutionary psychology?

    <p>Examining how genetic factors dictate all behaviors.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which part of his personality is affected by his behavior of encouraging Jenny to drink more?

    <p>Superego</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What psychological phenomenon explains Allison's distraction from her psychology assignment?

    <p>Operant conditioning</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which school of psychology views mental life as an active adaptation to the environment?

    <p>Functionalism</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Ulric Neisser define as the processes by which sensory input is transformed and stored?

    <p>Cognitive psychology</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to Carl Rogers, what is necessary for clients to find their solutions?

    <p>Empathy and unconditional positive regard</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What concept did Abraham Maslow struggle with regarding self-actualization?

    <p>The ongoing nature of self-actualization</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What approach to knowledge does Galileo espouse, which is fundamental to the scientific method?

    <p>Empirical observation and measurement</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which term describes research that answers fundamental questions about behavior?

    <p>Basic research</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is essential for research to be considered objective?

    <p>Systematic analysis of data</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Rollo May emphasize in his approach to psychology?

    <p>Meaning and choice</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Genetics and Environment

    • Gene expression can be influenced by the environment, turning genes on or off without altering the DNA sequence.
    • Behavioral Genomics explores the influence of multiple genes and environmental factors on human behavior.
    • Evolutionary Psychology investigates how evolution has shaped human thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
    • Quantitative genetics analyzes similarities among individuals based on their biological relatedness and assigns quantitative measures to those similarities.
    • Heritability coefficient reflects the proportion of variation in a trait attributable to genetic factors.
    • Three problems with the heritability quotient
      • Overestimates gene influence if environmental factors are not fully considered.
      • Not accurate for traits with low variability.
      • Does not account for gene-environment interactions.

    Genes and Chromosomes

    • Chromosomes are thread-like structures in the cell nucleus, composed of DNA.
    • Genes are segments of DNA that transmit characteristics from one generation to the next.
    • Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes, one from each parent.
    • Human cells contain approximately 25,000 genes.
    • Nucleotides (GACT) form different combinations on the DNA "steps."

    Personality

    • Personality refers to enduring traits that are stable within an individual but vary across the population.
    • The Five Factor Model describes personality traits as: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion/introversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism.

    Evolutionary Psychology

    • Charles Darwin's theory of Natural Selection emphasizes traits promoting survival.
    • Sexual Selection focuses on traits that enhance attractiveness for mating and gene propagation.
    • Sexual Strategies Theory explains human mating behaviors, adaptive challenges, and evolutionary solutions.
    • Parental Investment Differences significantly influence mating strategies.
    • Intrasexual Selection involves competition between individuals of the same sex for mating opportunities.

    Epigenetics

    • Epigenetics studies modifications to gene expression without alterations in the DNA sequence.
    • Gene silencing occurs when a gene is turned off, no longer providing information.
    • DNA nucleotides:
      • Adenine and Guanine are purines.
      • Thymine and Cytosine are pyrimidines.
    • Histones are proteins that help to bind and wind the DNA string.
    • Methylation involves adding a methyl group to cytosine, modifying gene expression despite no change in the DNA sequence.
    • Antidepressants can alter histone markers, increasing gene expression and potentially reversing gene repression caused by stress.

    Behaviorism and Humanistic Psychology

    • Methodological Behaviorism focuses on observable behaviors and their direct measurement.
    • Behaviorism emerged in 1913, with J. B. Watson coining the term.
    • Ivan Pavlov's classical conditioning laid the groundwork for behaviorism in 1897.
    • Behaviorism emphasizes two forms of learning:
      • Classical Conditioning: associating two stimuli that occur together.
      • Operant Conditioning: repeating behaviors that are rewarded.
    • Edward Lee Thorndike contributed to operant conditioning, with his "law of effect" and puzzle box experiment.
    • Nature vs. Nurture:
      • Nature: Genetics determine behavior, personality traits, and abilities.
      • Nurture: Environment, upbringing, and life experiences shape behavior.
    • J. B. Watson strongly emphasized the role of environment in shaping behavior, rejecting inherent tendencies.
    • Thorndike believed in inherent tendencies alongside learning, which behaviorists contested.
    • Skinner viewed behavior as primarily controlled by the environment.
    • Soft Determinists: Believe that some aspects of behavior are under our control but not everything.
    • Carl Rogers developed person-centered therapy, emphasizing self-direction, empathy, and acceptance to promote client growth.
    • Abraham Maslow proposed the Hierarchy of Needs, culminating in self-actualization.
    • Freud's Superego: Represents moral conscience and can conflict with impulsive desires.
    • Operant Conditioning: Explains how behaviors are influenced by their consequences (reinforcement or punishment).

    Cognitive and Evolutionary Psychology

    • Cognitive Psychology studies mental processes like attention, memory, perception, language, problem-solving, creativity, and thinking.
    • Ulric Neisser coined the term "cognitive psychology" and defined it as the processing of sensory input.
    • Perceived Self-Efficacy (PSE): Believing in one's abilities and resources to complete a task.
    • Carl Rogers:
      • Emphasized congruence, empathy, and unconditional positive regard as essential for therapy.
      • Believed that we filter our understanding of the world through our "phenomenal field."
      • Viewed self-discovery ("how do I become myself") as a key question.
    • Abraham Maslow:
      • Challenged the idea of "self-actualization" as a goal, emphasizing that we are always in a process of self-actualizing.
    • Rollo May:
      • Emphasized the importance of meaning and choice in human experience.
    • Mary Whitehouse:
      • Incorporated movement into traditional talk therapy.

    Research Methods

    • Galileo emphasized an empirical approach to knowledge: "measure what is measurable, and make measurable what is not so."
    • Scientific Approach: Involves an attitude of open-mindedness and skepticism.
    • Peer Review: Evaluates, improves, and criticizes research articles before publication.
    • Empirical: Based on systematic data collection and analysis.
    • Objective: Free from personal bias and emotions.
    • Ethical: Adhering to ethical principles in research, including informed consent, confidentiality, and minimizing risk to participants.
    • Basic Research: Answers fundamental questions about behavior.
    • Applied Research: Addresses practical problems and provides solutions.
    • Laws: General principles that apply across situations within a domain (e.g., Ebbinghaus forgetting curve).
    • Theory: A set of principles that explains and predicts relationships within a domain (e.g., Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs).
    • Hypotheses: Specific, falsifiable predictions about relationships between variables.
    • Descriptive Research: Captures a snapshot of the current state of affairs (e.g., surveys, case studies, naturalistic observations).
    • Correlational Research: Discovers relationships between variables and allows prediction (e.g., relationship between height and weight).
    • Experimental Research: Establishes cause-and-effect relationships between variables through manipulation and control.
      • Independent Variables: Manipulated by the experimenter.
      • Dependent Variables: Measured variables influenced by the manipulation.
    • Threats to Validity:
      • External Threats: Limit generalizability of findings to other settings and populations.
      • Internal Threats: Confounding variables that could affect the dependent variable.
      • Construct Threats: Measurement tools do not accurately capture the intended construct.
      • Statistical Conclusion Validity: Accuracy of statistical conclusions drawn from the data.

    Behavioral Genetics and Epigenetics

    • Behavioral Genetics: Studies how genes and environment interact to influence behavior and traits.
    • Epigenetics: Focuses on changes in gene expression without altering the DNA sequence itself.

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    Description

    This quiz covers the interplay between genetics and environmental factors in shaping behavior and traits. Topics include gene expression, heritability, and the influence of evolutionary psychology. Test your understanding of how these concepts are interconnected and their implications for behavior and genetics.

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