PSYC 1000 Chapter Notes -Prenatal Nutrition, Molecular Genetics, Heritability

• School: University of Guelph
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 1000
• Professor: Benjamin Giguere

Document Summary

Module 11 behavior genetics and evolutionary physics. Behavior genetics: the study of the relative power and limits of genetic and environmental influences on behavior. Environment: every nongenetic influence, from prenatal nutrition to people and things around us. Heredity interacts with our experiences to create both our universal human nature and our individual and social diversity. Humans have 46 chromosomes (threadlike structures made up of dn molecules that contain the genes), 23 from each the mother and father. Deoxyribonucleic acid (dna): complex molecule containing the genetic information that makes up the chromosomes. Genes: biochemical units of heredity that make up the chromosomes; segments of dna capable of synthesizing a protein. Genes can either be active or inactive, and environmental events turn on genes. When the genes have been turned on, they provide the code for creating protein molecules, or the body"s building blocks. Humans share a common genome which distinguishes us as humans.