Genetics and Studies Study Behaviour Essay

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State what you are doing in the essay This essay will attempt to consider the merits or otherwise of the influence of genetic inheritance on behaviour. Outline the overarching principle According to the third principle of the biological level of analysis (BLA), behaviour is innate and inherited because it is genetically based (we are predisposed to a specific behaviour due to genetics). Describe genetics and the importance of research into genetics It is argued that people have a genetic predisposition.Genes are segments of DNA inherited by the offspring from the parent.Genes are considered responsible for the development of behavioural characteristics. Behavioural Genetics is the understanding of how genetics and environment contribute to individual variations in human behaviour, where the premise is that the inheritance of DNA influences behaviour.It cannot be said that a single gene is responsible for a specific behaviour – but it is a building block.But genetics alone does not affect behaviour Environmental factors (e.g. culture, diet) also influence the development of an organism. Genes are complex It is unlikely that a single gene is responsible for such complex behaviours as schizophrenia or depression. There is no causal relationship between a single gene and a specific behaviour.It is thought that what is inherited is the gene that can lead to the development of the specific behaviour, not the behaviour itself.This means that an individual may have a genetic predisposition to a behaviour but without appropriate environmental stimuli, the behaviour will not be manifestedDon't forget to state that behaviour is bi-directional, explain.Type of studies used in genetic researchTwin studies Used in genetic research to study the correlation between genetic inheritance and behaviour due to the common genetics shared by twins.Monozygotic twins (MZT) identical - share 100% genetic material.Dizygotic twins (DZT) fraternal - share 50% genetic material. It is usually further explored, by studying the twins either separated or together to make a correlation of their behaviour. Adoption studies Allow researchers to study the comparison between genetic and environmental influence on behaviour.Adopted children share no genes with their adoptive parents but 50% of genes with their biological parents. Family studies Study behaviour between family members who have similar genetics to different degrees. Inheritance Outline intelligence Intelligence is an aspect of behaviour that has been studied in relation to genetics.It was questioned whether intelligence was attributed to genetic or environmental factors. Intelligence is difficult to defineIQ tests have been developed by a French person called Binet to measure of intelligence and are used in much psychological research.

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Introduce studies into genetics Examples of studies into genetics include... Study 1: Bouchard and McGue (1981)Method: Conducted a meta-analysis – statistical synthesis of data that yields a quantitative summary of pooled results Reviewed 111 studies of intelligence correlations between siblings. Results: The closer the kinship, the higher the correlation for IQ, which supports the influence of genetics on intelligence. Study 2: Bouchard et al. (1990) - Minnesota Twin StudyAim: To determine how much of intelligence is attributed to genetics and environment. Method: Longitudinal study Over 100 sets of MZT (monozygotic – identical twins raised together) and DZT (dizygotic – fraternal twins raised together) from around the world who were reared/raised together and apart. Researchers gave them approximately 50 hours of psychological and physiological testing. Results:Similarity rates between MZTs reared apart was approximately 76% Bouchard determined a heritability estimate of 70% of intelligence attributed to genetics, and 30% to other factors. Connection of study to question This study relates to the effect of genetics on behaviour as the concordance rate
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