A gene is the basic unit of heredity in a living organism. Geneticinformation is contained in chromosomes, each human has 23pairs in each of their cells, with one pair from each parent. DNA forms a blueprint for the structure and functions of our body.
Genome is all the genes an individual possesses.
Genes contain biologicalinstructions to form proteinmolecules from amino acids, and because proteins are essential to life, psychologists want to study how genes may affect behavior
Genes in our DNA aren't always active, can be silenced or de-silenced. This process is known as gene regulation which is what leads to differences in geneticexpression.
To switch a gene off prevents it from making the protein it's meant to produce, and a process called methylation occurs which blocks the gene's effects. A gene can be switchedbackon by demethylation. The genes will work normally again once switched back on.
In children, if certain proteins are no longer needed the methylation process will be permanent. So gene expression plays an extensive role in the developingbrain
Suderman et al 2014 investigates gene expression through showing how negativeevents during childhood can influence gene expression
