Is mind separate from brain? material monists vs. dualists

Localization vs. equipotentiality of function? Karl Lashley’s early 1900’s contribution of lesion studies in rats Paul Broca’s 1861 finding of a speech “center”

NATURE VERSUS NURTURE What is the debate and why should we care? What are some of the things being debated right now? How do we establish hereditability? twin studies: concordance rates MZ vs. DZ twins what are some challenges faced by twin studies Caution: What do we really inherit? Can we determine hereditability for an individual?

GENETICS: just the basics GENES are structures that provide the biological blueprint For who we are: physically and psychologically, they do so by directing proteins Most genes are arranged on 23 pairs of CHROMOSOMES, found in every cell Chromosomes are identified by number, 1-22, except…??? Genes are made up of DNA, a twisted ladder of bases: adeninethymineguaninecytosine The order of these 4 bases constitutes our GENETIC CODE

Facts about Genes Most genes are paired because the chomosomes they’re on are paired Genes may be DOMINANT or RECESSIVE for a trait Other genes blend their effects: a good example is blood type (AB) Some traits are determined by a single gene pair (e.g. eye color) Other traits are POLYGENIC

Epigenetics the study of the environmental influences that turn genes on and off This alters genetic expression – one’s phenotype Can thoughts and beliefs affect gene activity?

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