Log out Go to App
Go to App

Learning Materials

Features

Discover

Chapter 2: Problem 4

Explain how the environment and genetics work together to determine human characteristics. Behavioral characteristics are often determined by a combination of genetics and environment. Genetically based traits represent a potential, called the genotype, which may be affected by the environment and is ultimately expressed in the phenotype.

Short Answer

Expert verified
Genetics and environment interact to determine human characteristics. Genetic traits provide the potential (genotype), which can be influenced by environmental factors to result in the observable characteristics (phenotype). For instance, a person with a genetic potential to be tall might not reach that height if he or she has poor nutrition during growth.

Step by step solution

01

Define Key Terms

Start by defining the key terms. Genetics refers to the science of genes, heredity and variation in living organisms. Environment refers to the surroundings or conditions in which a person, animal, or plant lives or operates. A genotype refers to the genetic constitution of an individual organism, while a phenotype refers to the set of observable characteristics of an individual resulting from the interaction of its genotype with the environment.
02

Explain the Role of Genetics

Next, explain the role of genetics in determining human characteristics. Genes, which are units of heredity passed from parents to offspring, contain instructions for building and maintaining an organism's body. They can directly influence traits such as hair color or blood type.
03

Explain the Role of Environment

Then, explain how the environment plays a role. Environmental factors can influence the expression of genes. An individual's diet, physical activity, stress levels, and exposure to toxins can all affect how genes are expressed.
04

Elucidate Genotype and Phenotype Connection

Following that, explain the connection between genotype and phenotype. This entails understanding that the genotype, or the genetic makeup of an organism, represents potentials and limitations. An individual's phenotype is the observable outcome that results from the interaction of the genotype with the environment.
05

Illustrate with an Example

Finally, illustrate these concepts with an example, such as how a person with a genetic predisposition to be tall (genotype) might not reach their full potential height if they have poor nutrition during their growth years (environment). This shows the interplay between genetics and environment.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Start your free trial

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

Describe the major current approaches to childbirth. Parents-to-be have a variety of choices regarding the setting for the birth, medical attendants, and whether to use pain-reducing medication. Sometimes, medical intervention, such as cesarean birth, becomes necessary.

Describe the learning capabilities of the newborn. From birth, infants learn through habituation, classical conditioning, and operant conditioning.

Describe the normal process of labor and the events that occur in the first few hours of a newborn's life. In the first stage of labor, contractions occur about every 8 to 10 minutes, increasing in frequency, duration, and intensity until the mother's cervix expands. In the second stage of labor, which lasts about 90 minutes, the baby begins to move through the cervix and birth canal and ultimately leaves the mother's body. In the third stage of labor, which lasts only a few minutes, the umbilical cord and placenta are expelled from the mother. After it emerges, the newborn, or neonate, is usually inspected for irregularities, cleaned, and returned to its mother and father. It also undergoes newborn screening tests.

Describe the causes of, consequences of, and treatments for preterm births and the risks that postmature babies face. Preterm, or premature, infants, born less than 38 weeks following conception, generally have low birthweight, which can cause chilling, vulnerability to infection, respiratory distress syndrome, and hypersensitivity to environmental stimuli. They may even show adverse effects later in life, including slowed development, learning disabilities, behavior disorders, below-average IQ scores, and problems with physical coordination. Very-low- birthweight infants are in special danger because of the immaturity of their organ systems. However, medical advances have pushed the age of viability of the infant back to about 24 weeks following conception. Postmature babies, who spend extra time in their mothers' wombs, are also at risk.

Describe the role of genetic counselors and differentiate between different forms of prenatal testing. Genetic counselors use a variety of data and techniques to advise future parents of possible genetic risks to their unborn children. A variety of techniques can be used to assess the health of an unborn child if a woman is already pregnant, including ultrasound, CVS, and amniocentesis.
See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Psychology Textbooks

Cognition

Read Explanation

Careers in Psychology

Read Explanation

Clinical Psychology

Read Explanation

Sensation and Perception

Read Explanation

Relationships

Read Explanation

Addiction

Read Explanation
View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.

Sign-up for free