PSY 120 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Language Acquisition Device, Genetic Marker, Deep Structure And Surface Structure
Document Summary
Previously two perspectives: nativists: emphasized genes & inborn characteristics (nature, empiricists: focused on learning & experience (nurture) Now studied broadly, including evolutionary psychology and behavioural genetics. Within genes, four chemical elements of dna code for protein synthesis: adenine (a) cytosine (c, thymine (t) guanine (g) Genome: full set of genes in each cell of an organism (except sperm & egg cells) Linkage studies: studies that look for patterns of inheritance of genetic markers in large families in which a particular condition is common. Genetic marker: segment of dna that varies among individuals, has a known location on a chromosome, and can function as a genetic landmark for a gene. Even when researchers locate a gene on a chromosome, they do not automatically know its role in physical or psychological functioning. Most human traits are influenced by more than one gene pair (polygenic); from simple to complex traits. Evolution is a change in gene frequencies within a population over many generations.
