PS280 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Genetic Predisposition, Twin, Phenotype
Document Summary
Paradigms: framework or approach, many people identify with more than one paradigm. Current paradigms: (chronological order: biological, psychoanalytic, humanistic, learning (behavioural, cognitive, integrative. Behaviour genetics extent to which characteristics are shared with family members because of their shared genes: genetic predisposition. Evidence to support this, people inherit a genetic predisposition to develop a certain disorder: genotype vs. phenotype. Genotype actual genetic makeup, can"t see it. Behaviour genetics research methods (genetic predisposition: family method. Look to see number of relatives of that person that also have the disorder. Compare that with the prevalence we know in the general population. Example (schizophrenia) 10% (relatives) vs 1% (general population: thus, higher prevalence among relatives, could take as evidence to a genetic predisposition. Problems not taking environment into account: twin method. Monozygotic (mz) twins (identical share 100% genetic material) Dizygotic (dz) twins (fraternal share 50% genetic material) Compare rates of disorders between mz and dz twins.
