"Behavioural genetics, also referred to as behaviour genetics, is a field of scientific research that uses genetic methods to investigate the nature and origins of individual differences in behaviour."
Explores the role of genes and heredity in shaping behavior.
Nature vs. Nurture: One of the most fundamental topics in behavior genetics, the debate about how much of our behavior is determined by genetics (nature) versus environmental factors (nurture).
Heritability: This is a statistical measure that indicates how much of the variation in a particular trait can be attributed to genetics.
Twin studies: A type of research that compares identical and fraternal twins to determine how much of their behavior is genetically determined.
Adoption studies: A type of research that studies the behavior of adopted children to determine how much of their behavior is influenced by genetics versus environmental factors.
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS): A type of research that identifies genetic variations associated with specific behaviors or traits.
Epigenetics: The study of how environmental factors can modify gene expression without changing the underlying DNA sequence.
Gene-environment interaction: The interaction between genetic predisposition and environmental factors in determining behavior and personality.
Evolutionary psychology: The study of how natural selection has shaped our behavior and cognitive processes.
Personality traits: The study of how genetics and environmental factors contribute to personality traits such as extraversion, neuroticism, and conscientiousness.
Neurotransmitters and behavior: The study of how neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine affect behavior and mood, and how genetics can influence neurotransmitter function.
Heritability: This examines the extent to which a person's behavior is influenced by inherited genes and how she/he differs from the same group on certain factors.
Molecular genetics: It is a study that identifies specific genes and molecules responsible for different behavioral traits in individuals.
Epigenetics: Study describes how DNA molecules are modified as a result of exposure to certain environmental factors, and subsequently how these changes may affect an individual’s behavior.
Twin studies: This type of research compares the frequency of shared behavioral traits between identical and fraternal twins in order to determine heritability.
Family studies: This study examines specific behaviors and characteristics between family members, typically parents and their biological children, who share a close genetic relationship.
Adoption studies: It examines the relationship between adopted children and their adoptive parents to determine the extent to which genetics vs. environmental factors influence behavior.
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS): A study that analyzes the entire genetic makeup of a group of individuals to look for possible associations between specific genes and particular behaviors.
Candidate gene studies: This examines specific genetic variations known to be involved in the development of certain behavioral traits.
Environmental exposure studies: It investigates how exposure to specific environmental factors such as drugs or toxins can influence behavior.
Quantitative genetics: This is a statistical approach to studying the influence of genetic and environmental factors on behavior, typically using large data sets.
"The field broadly investigates the extent to which genetic and environmental factors influence individual differences."
"Behavioural genetics was founded as a scientific discipline by Francis Galton in the late 19th century."
"...only to be discredited through association with eugenics movements before and during World War II."
"In the latter half of the 20th century, the field saw renewed prominence with research on inheritance of behaviour and mental illness in humans..."
"The late 20th and early 21st centuries, technological advances in molecular genetics made it possible to measure and modify the genome directly."
"...advances in model organism research (e.g., knockout mice) and in human studies (e.g., genome-wide association studies)..."
"Findings from behavioural genetic research have broadly impacted modern understanding of the role of genetic and environmental influences on behaviour."
"Evidence that nearly all researched behaviours are under a significant degree of genetic influence..."
"...influence tends to increase as individuals develop into adulthood."
"Most researched human behaviours are influenced by a very large number of genes and the individual effects of these genes are very small."
"Environmental influences also play a strong role..."
"...they tend to make family members more different from one another, not more similar."
"...uses genetic methods to investigate the nature and origins of individual differences in behaviour."
"...typically using twin and family studies..."
"...technological advances in molecular genetics made it possible to measure and modify the genome directly."
"The field broadly investigates the extent to which genetic and environmental factors influence individual differences."
"Behavioural genetics was discredited through association with eugenics movements before and during World War II."
"...leading to new scientific discoveries."
"...they tend to make family members more different from one another, not more similar."