Intro to Psychology
Summary
Topic 1
What are chromosomes?
Found inside the nucleus of each cell, each carries one strand of DNA in a
double-helix structure.
What is DNA?
Is a double-helix structure consisting of alternating groups of phosphate
and sugars. Each sugar has one of four nitrogens attached to it: adenine
A, thymine T, guanine G, cytosine C. Each strand is held up by bonds
formed between those pairs AT and GC.
What are genes?
Genetic information that is encoded in the nitrogens found in DNA
What is the relationship between chromosomes, DNA and genes?
Chromosomes hold DNA, which hold genes.
What is genetic expression?
Intro to Psychology 1
, Genetic expression determines if a gene is turned off or on: the extent to
which a gene is transcribed into a sequence of proteins.
Controlled by the biochemical environment in the cell, influenced by
factors.
What is genotype?
An organisms' specific set of genes
What is phenotype?
Overt traits and behaviors of an organism, determined by environment and
genotype
How are genes passed from parents to children?
Each parent contains 23 pairs of chromosomes, each gene is paired with
another. They are located in corresponding positions on pairs of
chromosomes.
An allele is a specific variant of a gene.
What is meant by evolution through natural selection?
Natural selection: differential survival and reproduction due to phenotype
Three conditions:
variation
higher reproduction rate
trait is then passed on
Survival of the genes is more important than survival of the individual
Which role do evolution, genes and environment play in behavior?
Behavior is determined by the environment and one pair of genes or
multiple pairs of genes.
Genomes (complete set of DNA is shaped by evolution.
What is behavioral genetics and what method is used here?
Behavioral genetics is the continuous interaction between genes and
environment.
How our genes are expressed in a certain environment dictates who we
are.
Intro to Psychology 2
, MAOA gene:
Comes in two forms: low or high levels of MAO
Participants that were maltreated and had low levels of MAO were
more violent
What is heritability?
The extent that the variance in a trait is explained by genetic variance
H = (genetic − variance)/(phenotypic − variance)
If H = 1, variance can only be explained by genetics.
If H = 0, it can only be explained by environment.
Within group differences are smaller than between group differences.
What is the difference between Evolutionary Theory and Intelligent Design
Theory?
Evolutionary theory believes that life evolved slowly through natural
selection and evolution, whereas intelligent design theory believes that an
intelligent power has intervened, assigning life into the right direction.
Topic 2
What is the structure of a neuron?
The neuron is composed of:
cell body: contains nucleus
dendrites: receive signals
axons: transmit signals
What is the function of a neuron?
Receive and transmit information through electrical signals
How do neurons communicate with the body?
Types of neurons:
sensory receptors: physical stimulus → electrical signals
sensory (afferent) neurons: carries information into the nervous system
motor (efferent neurons): carries information from the central nervous
system into the muscle cells
Intro to Psychology 3
Summary
Topic 1
What are chromosomes?
Found inside the nucleus of each cell, each carries one strand of DNA in a
double-helix structure.
What is DNA?
Is a double-helix structure consisting of alternating groups of phosphate
and sugars. Each sugar has one of four nitrogens attached to it: adenine
A, thymine T, guanine G, cytosine C. Each strand is held up by bonds
formed between those pairs AT and GC.
What are genes?
Genetic information that is encoded in the nitrogens found in DNA
What is the relationship between chromosomes, DNA and genes?
Chromosomes hold DNA, which hold genes.
What is genetic expression?
Intro to Psychology 1
, Genetic expression determines if a gene is turned off or on: the extent to
which a gene is transcribed into a sequence of proteins.
Controlled by the biochemical environment in the cell, influenced by
factors.
What is genotype?
An organisms' specific set of genes
What is phenotype?
Overt traits and behaviors of an organism, determined by environment and
genotype
How are genes passed from parents to children?
Each parent contains 23 pairs of chromosomes, each gene is paired with
another. They are located in corresponding positions on pairs of
chromosomes.
An allele is a specific variant of a gene.
What is meant by evolution through natural selection?
Natural selection: differential survival and reproduction due to phenotype
Three conditions:
variation
higher reproduction rate
trait is then passed on
Survival of the genes is more important than survival of the individual
Which role do evolution, genes and environment play in behavior?
Behavior is determined by the environment and one pair of genes or
multiple pairs of genes.
Genomes (complete set of DNA is shaped by evolution.
What is behavioral genetics and what method is used here?
Behavioral genetics is the continuous interaction between genes and
environment.
How our genes are expressed in a certain environment dictates who we
are.
Intro to Psychology 2
, MAOA gene:
Comes in two forms: low or high levels of MAO
Participants that were maltreated and had low levels of MAO were
more violent
What is heritability?
The extent that the variance in a trait is explained by genetic variance
H = (genetic − variance)/(phenotypic − variance)
If H = 1, variance can only be explained by genetics.
If H = 0, it can only be explained by environment.
Within group differences are smaller than between group differences.
What is the difference between Evolutionary Theory and Intelligent Design
Theory?
Evolutionary theory believes that life evolved slowly through natural
selection and evolution, whereas intelligent design theory believes that an
intelligent power has intervened, assigning life into the right direction.
Topic 2
What is the structure of a neuron?
The neuron is composed of:
cell body: contains nucleus
dendrites: receive signals
axons: transmit signals
What is the function of a neuron?
Receive and transmit information through electrical signals
How do neurons communicate with the body?
Types of neurons:
sensory receptors: physical stimulus → electrical signals
sensory (afferent) neurons: carries information into the nervous system
motor (efferent neurons): carries information from the central nervous
system into the muscle cells
Intro to Psychology 3
