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Biological Perspective (PT.2) - Coggle Diagram
Biological Perspective (PT.2)
Hormones
A hormone is a chemical messenger of the endocrine system and is transported by blood to target cells (cells that have receptors for specific hormones).
secreted by endocrine glands
secreted into bloodstream
travel nanometers to meters
long latency of action (minutes to weeks)
Oxytocin
facilitates expression of milk and serves to ready the body for childbirth
associated with behavior of trust and affection
produced in the hypothalamus
Pheromones
released by the body (e.g. through sweat and urine)
has physical and emotional effects on other members of
same species
(but can also attract attention by different species)
Pheromones in Humans
Pheromones are processed in vemeronasal (VNO) organ which is only present in animals
Pheromones have a smell but are processed in a different brain region than smells in the olfactory bulb
the VNO connects to the acessory olfactory bulb which is only present in animals
Genetics
Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes
Chromosomes are long twisted strands of DNA
DNA is the chemical basis of heredity and carries instructions. It is a code, made up of a long sequence of four bases. The sequence consists of approx. 3 billion bases.
Genes (approx. 20.000) are the basic unit of heredity; single unit of DNA on the chromosome
Genotype: all traits encoded in our DNA
Phenotype: traits that are expressed
Dominant genes—will always be expressed if present
Recessive genes—will not be expressed unless they are in a pair
Expression of (most) genes depends on environmental factors
Gene-Environment Interactions
Passive
: e.g. parents’ provide a rearing environment based on their DNA, and this affects their children’s DNA
Active
: Niche-picking e.g. extroverts making friends with other extroverts. People prone to depression picking high-stress environments
Evocative
: cute and ugly baby example
Heritability
A quantitative measure of the relative contribution of genetic factors into a trait or behaviour
All traits/behaviours vary among individuals. This variance is due to genetic and environmental factors. The percentage of variance of traits that is attributable to genes is called heritability