PSYC 1020H Chapter Notes - Chapter 3: Evolutionary Psychology, Chromosome, Behavioural Genetics
5 Nov 2013
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Evolutionary psychology: emphasizes evolutionary mechanisms that may help explain human commonalities in cognition, development, emotion, social practices, and other behavioural areas. Behavioural genetics: concerned with the genetic bases of individual differences in behaviour and personality. Nativists emphasize genes and inborn characteristics (nature), whereas empiricists focused on the learning and experience (nurture) Genes are the basic units of heredity and are located on chromosomes: rod-shaped structures that carry the genes and are found in the nucleus (center) of every cell of the body. Sperm and egg cells (ovum) contain 23 chromosomes, which means that when they unite the fertilized egg and body cells contain 46 chromosomes arranged in 23 pair. Chromosomes consist of dna molecules and genes consist of small segments of this dna. Dna (deoxyribonucleic acid): the chromosomal molecule that transfers genetic characteristics by way of coded instructions for the structure of proteins.
