Seniors-Heredity and the Environment Answers

Characteristics influenced by heredity and the environment

Intelligence and School Achievement
1. What have adoption studies proven?
a. IQ’s closer to biological
b. Mimic adoptive families for school achievement
2. What have twin studies proven?
a. Monozygotic twins more alike than dizygotic
3. What is the measured genetic influence on intelligence?
a. 50-60%

Personality
1. Explain the hereditary AND environmental influences.
a. Extraversion, neuroticism, conscientiousness, agreeableness, openness to experience-
40-66%
b. Temperament- inborn
c. Shyness/boldness- inborn; lifetime influence


Schizophrenia
1. What is it?
a. Disorder marked by loss of contact with reality
b. Hallucinations and delusions- genetic
c. Social withdrawal
2. List several risk factors of schizophrenia. In other words, who is more at risk?
a. 10x more likely among siblings and offspring of schizophrenics
b. Shared genes/not environments
c. 1/100 people develop it
3. What are some possible causes?
a. Prenatal viral infection
b. Urban areas- exposure to infections during pregnancy
c. Lack of reelin- mental functions of brain
d. Occurs late adolescence, early adulthood
4. What is the contribution of genetics (percentage)?
a. 63-85%

Autism
1. What is it?
a. Disorder of brain functioning
b. Lack of normal social interaction, impaired communication and imagination
c. Restricted range of activities and interests
2. What is the rate of occurrence?
a. 16/10,000 births
3. Which gender does it affect the most?
a. Boys; shows up by 3 years of age
4. What are the symptoms of autism?
a. Fails to notice emotional signals of others
b. No eye contact
c. Doesn’t pay attention to person talking
d. Sing-song voice
5. What is the genetic contribution?
a. Strong; runs in families; genetic predisposition
b. Development of brain stem; early prenatal injury to developing brain
c. Environment- exposure to viruses and chemicals