Glossary Chapter 1

Altruistic behavior

an action that benefits someone other than the actor

Artificial selection
change in the frequencies of various genes in a
population because of a breeder's selection of desired individuals for mating
purposes
Autosomal gene gene on any of the chromosomes other than the sex
chromosomes (X and Y)
Biological psychology study of the physiological, evolutionary, and
developmental mechanisms of behavior and experience
Chromosome

strand of DNA bearing the genes

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) double-stranded chemical that composes the

chromosomes; it serves as a template for the synthesis of RNA
Dizygotic twins

fraternal (nonidentical) twins

Dominant gene gene that shows a strong effect in either the homozygous or
heterozygous condition
Enzymes

any proteins that catalyze biological reactions

Epigeneticsdeals with changes in gene expression without modification of the DNA

sequence
Evolution change in the frequencies of various genes in a population over
generations
Evolutionary explanation
of a species

understanding in terms of the evolutionary history

Evolutionary psychology

field that deals with how behaviors have evolved

Fitness

number of copies of one's genes that endure in later generations

Functional explanation
evolved as it did

understanding why a structure or behavior

Gene
unit of heredity that maintains its structural identity from one
generation to another
Hard problem
philosophical question of why and how any kind of brain
activity is associated with consciousness
Heritability
estimate of the degree to which variance in a
characteristic depends on variations in heredity for a given population

Glossary Chapter 1
Heterozygous

having two unlike genes for a given trait

Homozygous

having two identical genes for a given characteristic

Kin selection
relatives

selection for a gene because it benefits the individual's

Lamarckian evolution
discredited theory that evolution proceeds through
the inheritance of acquired characteristics
Mind-body problem or mind-brain problem
is related to the brain
Monozygotic twins
Mutation

question of how the mind

identical twins, derived from a single fertilized egg

a heritable change in a DNA molecule

Ontogenetic explanation
behavior develops

understanding in terms of how a structure or a

Phenylketonuria (PKU)
inherited inability to metabolize
phenylalanine, leading to mental retardation unless the afflicted person stays on a
strict low-phenylalanine diet throughout childhood
Physiological explanation
brain and other organs
Recessive gene
condition
Reciprocal altruism
return

understanding in terms of the activity of the

gene that shows its effects only in the homozygous

helping individuals who may later be helpful in

Ribonucleic acid (RNA)

single strand chemical; one type of an RNA
molecule serves as a template for the synthesis of protein molecules
Sex-limited gene
gene that exerts its effects primarily in one sex
because of activation by androgens or estrogens, although members of both sexes
may have the gene
Sex-linked gene gene on either the X or the Y chromosome