#AP Psychology Study Guide: Interaction of Heredity and Environment

#Unit 3: Biological Bases of Behavior

#Interaction of Heredity and Environment

#Key Concepts and Vocabulary

• Heredity (Nature): The genetic transmission of characteristics from parents to offspring. Think of this as the blueprint for our biological makeup.
• Environment (Nurture): All external factors influencing an individual, including physical surroundings, social interactions, and cultural influences. This is about how the world shapes us.
• Genes: Basic units of heredity that are made up of DNA and provide the instructions for our traits.
• Genotype: An organism's genetic makeup. It's the actual genes someone possesses for a trait (e.g., BB for brown eyes).
• Phenotype: The observable characteristics of an organism resulting from the interaction of its genotype and the environment (e.g., having brown eyes).
• Twin Studies: Research that compares identical twins (100% genetically identical) to fraternal twins (about 50% genetically similar). These help disentangle the influence of genes and environment.
• Adoption Studies: Research that examines whether adopted children are more similar to their biological parents (genetics) or adoptive parents (environment).
• Heritability: A statistical estimate of the proportion of variation in a trait within a population that we can attribute to genetic differences.

#Potential Gaps and Misconceptions:

• Students often think in terms of "nature vs. nurture" instead of "nature and nurture" – emphasize the interactive nature.
• Clarify the difference between genotype and phenotype, and how environment influences phenotype.
• Explain that heritability doesn't mean a trait is fixed; environment still plays a role.

#Memory Aids:

• Think of it like baking a cake 🍰:

  • Genes are the recipe (what you need).
  • Environment is the oven, ingredients, and baker's skill (how it turns out).

• Genotype (G) - Genes: What you've Got in your DNA.

• Phenotype (P) - Physical: The Physical expression of your genes.

#Visual Aid Opportunities:

• A diagram showing how genes and environment interact to influence behavior.
• Images comparing identical twins raised apart to illustrate environmental influences.

#Exam Question Types:

• Multiple Choice: Questions on heritability, research methods (twin/adoption studies), and examples of gene-environment interaction.
• Free Response: Scenarios requiring analysis of how genes and environment could both contribute to a behavior.

#Real-World Applications and Current Events:

• Discussions on intelligence: Is it primarily determined by genes or upbringing?
• The impact of early childhood experiences: How do they shape brain development?
• Debates about mental health: Understanding the genetic and environmental factors contributing to disorders like anxiety and depression.

#Cross-Curricular Connections:

• Biology: Genetics, DNA, evolution.
• Sociology: Socialization, cultural influences on behavior.

#Detailed Explanations:

• Twin Studies: Researchers compare identical twins (who share 100% of their genes) to fraternal twins (who share about 50% of their genes). If a trait has a strong genetic component, identical twins should be more similar to each other on that trait than fraternal twins.

  • For example: If intelligence has a strong genetic component, identical twins are likely to have more similar IQ scores compared to fraternal twins.

• Adoption Studies: These studies look at children who have been adopted and raised by families that are not their biological parents. If an adopted child is more similar to their biological parents on a trait, it suggests a genetic influence. If they're more similar to their adoptive parents, it points to an environmental influence.

• Heritability: A tricky concept! It's a statistic ranging from 0 to 1 that estimates the proportion of variation in a trait within a specific population that is due to genetic differences.

  • Example: If the heritability of height is .80, it means 80% of the height differences we see in a group of people can be explained by genetics, and 20% by environmental factors. *

#Final Exam Focus:

#High-Priority Topics:

1. How to study the interaction of heredity and environment (twin and adoption studies)
2. Interpreting heritability
3. Applying gene-environment interaction to real-world examples (intelligence, personality, mental health)

#Common Question Types:

• Multiple Choice: You'll likely see questions asking you to identify the best research method to study a particular question or to interpret heritability data.
• Free Response: Be prepared to analyze a scenario and explain how both genetics and environment could be contributing to a behavior.

#Practice Questions:

Practice Question

#Multiple Choice

1. Researchers are studying the heritability of anxiety. They find that the concordance rate for anxiety is higher in identical twins compared to fraternal twins. What does this suggest about anxiety? a) It is primarily caused by environmental factors. b) It is entirely determined by genetics. c) It has a significant genetic component. d) It is not influenced by heritability.

2. John and Joe are identical twins raised apart. John is introverted and enjoys spending time alone reading. Joe is extroverted and loves being around people. What does this difference suggest about personality? a) Genetics entirely determines personality. b) Environment plays a significant role in shaping personality. c) Personality is not influenced by genes or environment. d) This difference is not possible in identical twins.

3. Which of the following is the best definition of heritability? a) The percentage of an individual's traits that are due to genes. b) The proportion of variation in a trait within a population that can be attributed to genetic differences. c) The likelihood that a trait will be passed down from parent to offspring. d) The influence of environmental factors on an individual's development.

#Short Answer:

Briefly explain how a twin study could help researchers investigate the influence of genetics and environment on intelligence.