2. Darwin’s evolution theory:
– all creatures: common ancestry
– species goal is to reproduce;
– genetics gives us variations which
help adapt to environments,
– the ‘best’ adaptations carry on
the genes by reproduction
– Natural selection: ‘weeding out’
process eliminates the ‘weak link’
trait (does not happen in one
generation)
3. Biopsychology and neuroscience
– ‘new’ discipline in psychology. Mixes various areas
of study + technology
– * “Biology underlies all human sensation and
perception, learning and memory, passion and
pain, reason—and even madness” *
– Nature vs. nurture Neuroscience: connecting the
brain and mind
4. Brain
– 100 billion nerve cells
– Most complex structure known
– We have extras that are ‘pruned’ or die off
– We do generate new cells
– We end up with 98 %
5. Genetics and evolution:
• Applied to psychology, helps to explain LOTS. Ex:
phobias about things that may have killed us in the
past
• What can you remember so far that has been
explained (at least in part) by evolutionary
principles?
7. Genes and inheritance
• Genes encode info that become your traits
• Blueprint in every nucleus of every cell
• Also influence personality, fears, behavior, etc
8. • Genes from parents yet you are unique
• Heredity; unique combo of genes (genotype)
• Phenotype is physical structure, visible traits
• Environment affects phenotype too (nutrition,
disease, stress)
Genes and inheritance
9. Chromosomes, Genes, DNA
• 23 pairs of chromosomes (46 total) Thanks mom
and dad!
Small Large
Gene sequence DNA strands Chromosome nucleus cell
10. • DNA strands are made up of
nucleotides (‘letters’) that make
up genes ‘words’
• Genes are ‘words’ that make up
chromosome ‘sentences/
paragraphs’
• Genetic expression; punctuation
that tells how and when genes
are expressed
11. Chromosomes, Genes, DNA
• Complete DNA = 30,000 genes
• Sex chromosomes:
– X from Mom
– X or Y from dad
• XX = baby girl
• XY = baby boy
• Variation: slight shuffling of pairing of genes =
different genotype even in siblings
12. Genetic explanations
• Genes influence psychology as well as physical
traits
– Intelligence, personality, mental disorders, reading
and language abilities, and (sexual orientation)
• Single gene vs. multiple genes?
– Schizophrenia and Alzheimer's
– Never attribute psychological characteristics to
genetics alone
Heredity Environment
13. Choosing Child’s Genes
• Human Genome project maps genetic code
• Insight: cancer, heart disease, schizophrenia,
and Alzheimers
• Select the sex of the baby…add or delete
certain traits in the developing fetus?!
• Stem cells: generic, non-committed cells
– Cloning: organ or entire organism
– In vitro fertilization
