1. The Major Issues Questions

Front 1

Describe four kinds of biological explanations of behavior and give an example of each.

Back 1

Physiological - activity of the brain and other organs - testosterone develops particular area of songbird, larger in mature male songbirds enabling them to sing;

Ontogenetic - development within the individual - ability to sing passed in a gene, requires exposure to song in sensitive period;

Evolutionary - how it evolved - songbirds that evolved from the same ancestor have similar songs;

Functional - why it evolved - sings in his own territory during reproductive season to increase chance of mating

Front 2

Describe which kinds of problems are thought to be "hard" or "easy."

Back 2

Easy problems can be investigated through scientific experimentations. Hard problems are philosophical questions with no way of proving or disproving an answer.

Front 3

Describe the professionals who conduct neuroscience research and who provide clinical treatment for brain disorders.

Back 3

Research professionals include (behavioral and cognitive) neuroscientists, (neuro-, comparative, and evolutionary) psychologists, psychophysiologists, and neurochemists. Clinical treatment may come from (clinical, counseling, and school) psychologists or medical professionals include neurologists, neurosurgeons, and psychiatrists.

Front 4

Describe the concept of Mendelian genetics.

Back 4

Mendel demonstrated that inheritance occurs through genes. Genes come in pairs aligned along chromosomes. Identical genes on the two chromosomes are said to be homozygous; unmatched pairs are heterozygous.

Front 5

Describe the relationship between DNA, RNA, and proteins.

Back 5

A strand of DNA serves as a template for the synthesis of RNA. Messenger RNA serves as a template for the synthesis of protein molecules.

Front 6

Describe the concepts of dominant and recessive genes and of sex-linked and sex-limited genes.

Back 6

Dominant genes are expressed in either the heterozygous or homozygous condition.Recessive genes are only expressed in the homozygous condition. Sex-linked genes are genes on the sex chromosomes (X and Y). Sex-limited genes occur on any chromosome but are activated by sex hormones in one sex.

Front 7

Describethe concept of heritability and reasons why it can be overestimated.

Back 7

Heritability is an estimate of how much a characteristic depends on genetic differences (as opposed to environmental differences). It can be overestimated because the estimate is specific to a given population. Big differences in environment within that population will lower heritability.

Front 8

Describe natural selection.

Back 8

Natural selection is a process by which individuals successful at staying alive and healthy to reproduce pass on their genes. The more copies of these genes over the generations, the more fit the genes are considered.

Front 9

Describe the goals and criticisms of evolutionary psychology.

Back 9

Evolutionary psychology concerns how behaviors evolved: the presumed genes of our ancestors and why natural selection might have favored genes that promote certain behaviors. A criticism is when practitioners propose explanations without testing them.

Front 10

Describethe reasons for animal research.

Back 10

1. Easier to study2. Curiosity3. To learn about evolution4. To overcome legal or ethical restrictions

Front 11

Describe the ethical debate concerning the use of animals in research.

Back 11

Research can cause animals stress or pain; however, many research questions can be investigated only through animal research.

Front 12

Describe the regulatory committees that oversee animal research.

Back 12

In the United States, every college or other institution that receives government research funds is required to have an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. This committee is composed of veterinarians, community representatives, and scientists. They evaluate proposed experiments, decide whether they are acceptable, and specify procedures to minimize pain and discomfort.

Front 13

How does adding a methyl or acetyl group to a histone protein alter gene activity?

Back 13

a methyl group tightens the histone's grip on DNA, decreasing activation; an acetyl group loosens the grip, increasing activation

Front 14

How does the “minimalist” position differ from the “abolitionist” position?

Back 14

a minimalist wants to limit research on animals; an abolitionist wants to eliminate research on animals

Front 15

What are the main types of evidence to estimate the heritability of some behavior?

Back 15

greater similarity between monozygotic twins than dizygotic twins; resemblance between adopted children and their biological parents; common genes among people who show a particular behavior