Ch. 3 Nature and Nurture Vocabulary
Terms
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- environment
- refers to every nongenetic, or external, influence on our traits and behaviors.
- gender schema theory
- children acquire a cultural concept of what it means to be female or male and adjust their behavior accordingly.
- nucleotides.
- biochemical units that make up DNA and genes.
- gender role
- a culturally prescribed set of behaviors for males and females.
- interaction
- occurs when the effects of one factor (such as heredity) depends on another factor (such as environment).
- Y chromosome
- the sex chromosome found only in males. When paired with an X chromosome from the mother, it produces a male child.
- role.
- a culturally prescribed set of behaviors expected of those who occupy a particular social position.
- social learning theory
- people learn social behavior (such as gender roles) by observing and imitating and by being rewarded or punished.
- mutation
- a process in which the genetic material of a person, a plant or an animal changes in structure when it is passed on to children, causing different phycical characteristics to develop.
- fraternal twins
- develop from two separate eggs fertilized by different sperrn and therefore are no more genetically similar than ordinary siblings.
- genome
- the complete instructions for making an organism - consisting of all the genetic material in that organism's chromosomes
- genes
- the biochemical units of heredity that make up the chromosomes; they are segments of the DNA molecules capable of synthesizing a protein.
- identical twins
- develop from a single fertilized egg that splits in two and therefore are genetically identical.
- testosterone
- the principal male sex hormone. During prenatal development, it stimulates the development of the external male sex organs.
- chromosomes
- threadlike structures made of DNA molecules that contain the genes
- aggression
- physical or verbal behavior that is intended to hurt or harm someone.
- personal space
- personal space-the buffer zone we like to maintain around our bodies.
- heritability
- the proportion of variation among individuals that we can attribute to genes. The ___________ of a trait may vary, depending on the range of populations and environments studied.
- culture
- the enduring behaviors, ideas, attitudes, and traditions shared by a large group of people and transmitted from one generation to the next.
- norms
- understood social prescriptions, or rules, for accepted and expected behavior.
- adaptation
- An inherited characteristic that increases in a population because it provides a survival or reproductive advantage.
- evolutionary psychology
- the study of evolution of behavior and the mind, using principles of natural selection.
- gender-typing
- the acquisition of a traditional feminine or masculine gender role.
- collectivism
- sense of "we". priorities are given to a certain group. One's identity is defined accordingly
- gender identity
- one's personal sense of being male or female.
- memes
- variations in ideas, fashions, and innovations passed from one person to another that cause rapid cultural mutations.
- molecular genetics
- the subfield of biology that studies the molecular structure and function of genes.
- DNA
- (deoxyribonucleic acid) is a complex molecule containing the genetic information that makes up the chromosomes.
- natural selection
- the principle that among the range of inherited trait variations - those that lead to increased reproduction and survival will most likely be passed on to succeeding generations.
- temperament
- a person's characteristic emotional reactivity and intensity.
- individualism
- Giving priority to one's own goals over group and defining one's identity in terms of personal sttributes rather than group identification.
- X Chromosome
- the sex chromosome found in both men and women. Females have two of these chromosomes; males have one. One of these chromosome from each parent produces a female child.
- gender
- the biologically and socially influenced characteristic by which people define male and female.
- behavior genetics
- the study of the relative power and limits of genetic and enviromental influences on behavior.
- Charles Darwin
- renowned naturalist and thinker associated with the theory of evolution by natural selection