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Genetics and Behaviour
SAQ and/or ERQ
When we talk about genetics, we talk about behaviours being “inherited” from our parents. Which of the following behaviours do you think have a generic basis? What is your evidence for that?
If you answered that all of these behaviours may have a genetic component you are absolutely correct.
But remember, that what is inherited is a physiological (biological) trait that is a building block for a behaviour. Going back to the list, what might those building blocks be?
Also, if you are most like people, your answers about whether something is genetic or not, probably has to do with anecdotal data. My parents are both highly motivated. I am highly motivated, it must be genetic!
Although this may be a goo
Technique 1. Pedigree studies
What is a pedigree study?
Also called family studies, these studies look at the concordance rate of a behaviour within a family across several generations. The idea is that the more closely related you are to someone in your family, the more similar you should be to them. For example, siblings should be more similar to each other than second cousins.
Also, one can see if a behaviour is inherited from one generation to the next.
Why use this technique?
The sample is more representative than other samples.
Limitations Members of a family share the same environment, so it is difficult to rule out these factors in behaviour.
There is no actual identification of specific genes, so it is an indirect measure of genetic inheritance.
Other data is anecdotal in nature. People remember that great grandmother Josephone seemed to have Alzhiemer’s disease, but there was never a diagnosis
Technique 2. Twin studies
What is a twin study?
Researchers look at the concordance rate (correlation) of behaviour in monozygotous twins (from one egg) dizygotous twins (from two eggs) and siblings. If a behaviour is genetic than the more genetically similar two individuals are the more common theur behaviour should be.
Researchers also look at M2 and D2 twins raised together and apart?
Why use this technique?
Identical twins are a unique biological opportunity to study the effect of genetics on behaviour.
Dizygotic twins
Limitations Environmental factors cannot be eliminated in the twin studies. They often share the same experiences, regardless of whether they are MZ or DZ twins.
Twins are rarely separated at birth so although there is a such research, it is a non-representatice sample.
The concordance rate is rarely 100% for behavioural traits. As we will see, this does not mean that it is genetic. The higher the concordance rate, the more likely it is to be genetic but teins studies ina and of themselves do not actually study genes. They are indirect measures of genetic inheritance.
Although dizygotous twins come from
A word about prospective research
Just because someone does not exhibit a behaviour at the time of an original study does not mean that they may never develop the behaviour. This is why longitudinal prospective studies are usual.
Prospective studies identify traits that are considered to be inherited. Those who are considered “genetically vulnerable” are then followed over many years to see if they actually manifest the behaviour. This is used, for example in the study
The Human Genome Project
And then everything changed in 2003.
The Human Genome Project mapped out the genes that make up the human genome. They found that there are approximately
Technique 4. Linkage analysis
What is linkage analysis?
This is done through genetic mapping- that is, which gene is involved in a behaviour and where is it located on the chromosoma. Researchers collect blood samples from members of the families in which a behaviour is common - for example, schizophrenia. The researchers examine the DNA for polymorphisms- the presence of genetic variations. These polymorphisms are referred to as genetic markers. Major Depressive Disorder Explain one study that shows the influence of one gene on human behaviour. Explain one study demonstrating gene similarity.
Reductionist arguments take a complex behaviour and try to bring it down to a singular cause,
Holistic arguments took a complex behaviour through several different lenses, trying to understand the interaction of different factors.
Both approaches are used in the biological approach.
Kendler et al (2006) used 42,161 twins from the Swedish Twin Registry. They found that the concordance rate for female MZ twins was 44% while for female DZ twins, only 16%. In male MZ twins the rate was 31% and for male DZ twins the rate was 11%.
1. What does this tell us about the possible origin of depression?
2. What role might epigenetics play in the explanation?
Caspi et al (2003)
People who had inherited one or more short versions of 5-HTT allele demonstrated more symptoms of depression and suicidal ideation in response to stressful life events. The effect was strongest for those with three or more stressful life events.
1. What does this tell us about the possible origin of depression?
2. What is one concern that you might have about this study?
