Unit 2 AP Psych

• Behavioral genetics


  Focuses on discovering how genes and experiences interact and lead to specific behaviors and mental abilities
• Molecular Genetics


  The study of chromosomes and gene expression of an organism can give insight into heredity, genetic variation, and mutations
• DNA


  A complex molecule containing the genetic information that makes up the chromosomes
• Genes


  Segments of DNA that contain instructions to make proteins - building blocks of life
• Charles Darwin 


  creator of natural selection - some psychological traits might be advantageous for survival and those traits would be passed down from parents to the next generation
• Heritability


  A measure of how well differences in people's genes account for differences in their traits
• Heritability


  • If a city of clones with different environments had IQ test score differences, heritability would be zero
  • If a city of people with different genes but identical environments had IQ test score differences, heritability would be 1
• Dominant Alleles


  Show their effect even if the individual only has one copy of the allele
• Recessive Alleles


  Only show their effect if the individual has two copies of the allele
• Genome


  The entirety of that individual's hereditary information
• Genotype


  The collection of genes responsible for the various genetic traits of a given organism (example: bb)
• Phenotype


  The visible or observable expression of the results of genes, combined with the environmental influence on an organism's appearance or behavior (blue eyes)
• Reciprocal determinism


  By interacting with the world around us, we have a role in changing the environment in which we live
• Phenylketonuria


  • Causes cognitive disabilities, but only if the affected person's diet includes foods containing a certain enzyme. If the person with the PKU gene is kept on a strict diet for the first two decades of life, they will have normal intelligence.
• Epigenetics


  The study of environmental influences on gene expression that occur without a DNA change
• Identical twins


  Twins who develop from a single fertilized egg that splits in two, creating two genetically identical organisms
• Identical twins


  • Have similar personality and intelligence levels
• Fraternal twins


  Twins who develop from separate fertilized eggs. They are genetically no closer than brothers and sisters, but they share a fetal environment.
• Evolutionary Psychology 


  the branch of psychology that studies the mental adaptations of humans to a changing environment
• • Natural Selection (Falls under evolutionary psychology )


  certain behaviors and genes best for survival (Survival of the Fittest)

  • Behaviors such as stranger anxiety, parental love, phobias (spiders, snakes) can all be explained natural selection
  • If a person is outgoing, he or she might make friends an allied and these connections could improve the individual's chances of survival, which increases the person's chances of passing this trait for extroversion down to his or her kids
• Endocrine System


  The collection of glands that produce hormones that regulate metabolism, growth and development, tissue function, sexual function, reproduction, sleep, and mood, etc
• Hormone


  A chemical messenger produced in the body that controls and regulates the activity of certain cells or organs (released in the bloodstream)
• Hypothalamus


  Brain region controlling the pituitary gland
• Nervous System


  The body's electrochemical communications network
• Pituitary Gland


  The "master control gland;" controls other glands and makes the hormones that trigger growth
• Neurons


  Individual nerve cells that make up our entire nervous system
• Pineal Gland


  Produces melatonin which affects sleep
• Central Nervous System


  • The brain & spinal cord, which distribute & process messages
• Adrenal Glands


  Produce hormones that help regulate your metabolism, immune system, blood pressure, response to stress and other essential functions (Cortisol, Adrenaline, etc)
• Dendrites


  Receive neural messages
• Spinal Cord


  • Nerves that form the connections between the brain and the peripheral nervous system and are encased in the spine
• Action Potential


  An impulse or brief electric charge that travels down the axon
• Peripheral Nervous System


  • A branch of the human nervous system that includes all components except the brain and spinal cord
• Parathyroid gland


  Help regulate the level of calcium in the blood
• Cell body (Soma)


  Contains the nucleus and other parts of the cell needed to sustain its life
• Threshold


  The level of stimulation needed to trigger a neural impulse
• Somatic Nervous System


  • The part of the peripheral nervous system that controls voluntary movements
• Thyroid Gland


  Affects metabolism
• Axon


  Wirelike structure ending in the terminal buttons that extends from the cell body -- passes the messages along
• All or None Response


  A neuron either sends an impulse or it does not