PSY 111 Lecture Notes - Lecture 24: Twin, Behavioural Genetics

• School: Pace University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSY 111
• Professor: Sporin

Document Summary

Genes of different members of same species are almost identical: dna in one individual"s genes is about 99. 9% the same as the dna of every other human being. Common genetic structures lead members of same species to be born w/ variety of behaviors that come naturally to them & define characteristics of species: instincts: complex inborn patterns of behaviors that help ensure survival. & reproduction: different animals have different instincts. Dogs are naturally loyal to their pack. Humans instinctively learn to walk, speak, & understand language. Strength of different traits & behaviors also varies w/in species: differences are determined by the small amount of differences in genes among members of the species, but rather by actions of many genes working together. Even working together, genes aren"t so powerful that they can control/create: ex: there"s no (cid:498)iq gene(cid:499) that determines intelligence. personality, some genes tend to increase given characteristic, others work to decrease same characteristic.