Psychology 1000 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Twin, Twin Study, Genetic Variation

• School: Western University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: Psychology 1000
• Professor: Laura Fazakas- De Hoog

Document Summary

Heritability coefficient extent to which the degree of variation in a particular characteristic among a group of people can be attributed to genetic factors. Concordance the likelihood that two people share a particular characteristic. Adoption study study of children who were adopted by comparing to both sets of parents: more similar to biological: genetic influence, more similar to adoptive: environmental influence. Adoptive and twin studies have shown that many psychological characteristics have a notable genetic contribution. Intelligence based largely on genetics, but also influenced by environment: identical twins raised together have higher correlation on iq scores than identical twins raised apart. Reaction range range of possibilities (upper and lower limits) that the genetic code allows for a genetically influenced trait: environmental effects determine where individual falls within the boundaries. Variation due to a shared family environment among those reared together.