Genetics and Personality (Chapter 6)

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Questions and Answers

What do behavioral geneticists study?

The degree to which individual differences in personality are caused by genetic and environmental differences.

Which of the following are controversies surrounding behavioral genetics? (Select all that apply)

Designer babies (correct)

Creating a master race (correct)

Holding people accountable (correct)

None of the above

What is Eugenics?

The notion that we can design the future of the human species by fostering the reproduction of persons with certain traits and by discouraging the reproduction of persons without those traits.

What is heritability?

A statistic that refers to the proportion of observed variance in a group of individuals that can be accounted for by genetic variance. Signup and view all the answers

What is environmentality?

The percentage of observed variance in a group of individuals that can be attributed to environmental differences. Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between heritability and environmentality?

Individual: both have an equal influence. Population: depends on the characteristic being measured. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following are misconceptions about heritability? (Select all that apply)

Heritability is constant Signup and view all the answers

What is a phenotype?

Observed individual differences. Signup and view all the answers

What is a genotype?

Genetic variance that's responsible for individual differences in the phenotypic expression of specific traits. Signup and view all the answers

What does selective breeding in behavioral genetics involve?

Identifying a trait and selectively breeding animals to possess that trait. Signup and view all the answers

What do the findings in selective breeding suggest about the heritability of human personality characteristics?

Heredity must be a factor in the personality traits because they were successfully selected. Signup and view all the answers

What are family studies?

Studies that correlate the degree of genetic relatedness among family members with the degree of personality similarity. Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential limitation of family studies?

Results can never be viewed as definitive because family members may be similar not due to genetics but because of a shared environment. Signup and view all the answers

What is an advantage of family studies?

They provide heritability estimates. Signup and view all the answers

What do twin studies estimate?

They estimate heritability by comparing the similarity of identical twins to fraternal twins. Signup and view all the answers

What is the equal environments assumption?

The assumption that the environments experienced by identical twins are no more similar to each other than those experienced by fraternal twins. Signup and view all the answers

What are adoption studies?

Studies that examine the correlations between adopted children and their adoptive parents. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Behavioral Genetics

Behavioral geneticists investigate the influence of genetics and environment on personality differences.
Focus on the role of genetics versus environmental factors in shaping individual personalities.

Controversies in Behavioral Genetics

Issues include the ethics of "designer babies" and potential societal implications.
Concerns about creating a master race and assigning accountability based on genetic predisposition.

Eugenics

Concept of controlling human reproduction for desired traits, while discouraging those without those traits.

Heritability

Refers to the genetic contribution to observed variance in personalities within a group.
Indicates how much of the phenotypic differences can be attributed to genetic differences.

Environmentality

Represents the percentage of variance attributed to environmental factors affecting individuals.

Relationship Between Heritability and Environmentality

Individual influences of heritability and environmentality are often equal.
Population influences depend on the characteristic:
- Height: Genetic differences are crucial.
- Weight: Equal influence from both genetic and environmental factors.
- Mate preferences: Heavily influenced by environmental factors.

Misconceptions About Heritability

Not applicable to individuals; pertains to populations at a specific time and context.
Heritability can change with environmental shifts.
Considered an estimate, not a precise measurement of genetic influence.

Phenotype and Genotype

Phenotype: Observable traits of an individual.
Genotype: Underlying genetic differences responsible for individual variations in traits.

Selective Breeding

A research method where traits are identified and animals are bred for those traits.
Effective only with traits having a genetic basis, as learned traits cannot be selectively bred.

Implications of Selective Breeding on Human Personality

Findings suggest hereditary factors play a role in personality traits like aggressiveness and agreeableness.

Family Studies

Focus on genetic relatedness among family members to evaluate personality similarity.
Rely on genetic overlap to gather heritability estimates.

Limitations of Family Studies

Correlations may arise from shared environments rather than heritable traits, affecting result validity.

Advantages of Family Studies

Provide estimates of heritability based on genetic relatedness and personality trait similarity.

Twin Studies

Utilized to estimate heritability by comparing similarity in identical twins (100% genetic overlap) versus fraternal twins (50% genetic overlap).

Equal Environments Assumption

Assumes that identical twins do not share more similar environments than fraternal twins, maintaining the integrity of heritability estimates.

Adoption Studies

Examine personality correlations between adopted children and their adoptive parents versus biological parents.
Aid in understanding the influence of genetics versus environment in personality development.

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Description

Explore the intricate relationship between genetics and personality in this flashcard quiz. Delve into concepts like behavioral genetics, the controversies surrounding it, and the implications of eugenics. Perfect for students studying psychology or genetics.