PSYC39H3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 3: Twin, Autism Spectrum, Molecular Genetics
Document Summary
Biopsychologists = (psychologists who study the biological aspects of behavior) try to determine which genetic and neurophysiological variables play a part in criminal behavior, how important they are, and what can be done to modify them. Behavior genetics = focuses on examining the role genes play in the formation and development of human and animal behavior. Molecular genetics = is the field of biology that studies the structure and function of genes at the molecular level. One way to determine the role of genetics in criminality is to compare the incidence and type of delinquency or criminal convictions among identical (monozygotic) and fraternal (dizygotic) twins. Dizygotic (dz) twins (also called fraternal twins) develop from two different fertilized eggs and are no more genetically alike than nontwin siblings. They are, though, equally susceptible to prenatal environmental influences, such as nicotine or alcohol use by the mother during that particular pregnancy.
