Exam 2: Biological and Environmental Foundations

_____ refers to the extent to which variation among people on a given characteristic is due to genetic differences.

Genes are composed of stretches of _____, a complex molecule shaped like a twisted ladder or staircase.

Describe the epigenetic framework using the example of brain development.

Amniocentesis should not be conducted before the _____ week of pregnancy, as it may increase the risk of miscarriage.

Preconception sperm sorting and pre-implantation genetic diagnosis are two methods of _____.

Danica, age 28, is very short in stature, has an abnormally small jaw, and her neck has extra folds of skin. Danica has never ovulated and she has underdeveloped breasts. Danica suffers from ____syndrome.

Height is an example of polygenic inheritance.

The genes within each chromosome can be expressed in different forms, or ______, that influence a variety of physical characteristics.

Identify four methods of prenatal diagnosis. Which two pose some risk to the developing fetus, especially if performed early in the pregnancy?

A process called ______ enables couples with a family history of diseases carried on the sex chromosomes to have a healthy baby of the sex unaffected by the disease they carry.

Instances in which the expression of a gene is determined by whether it is inherited from the mother or the father is called _______.

Chase and Carson share the same genotype, with identical instructions for all physical and psychological characteristics. Chase and Carson:

Professor Kahn is an expert in behavior genetics. Her research team primarily conducts family studies to compare people who live together and share varying degrees of relatedness. Describe the two types of family studies that Professor Kahn uses in her research, including what these studies tell us about genetic and environmental influences on behavior.

Why are males more likely than females to be affected by X-linked disorders?

Males' sex chromosome pair includes two X chromosomes.

The epigenetic framework explains the influence of heredity on characteristics such as height, weight, and mental health.

Ultrasound allows physicians to:

A particularly important finding associated with the study of epigenetics is that:

Which of the following statements about fragile X syndrome is true?

Today, the average life expectancy of individuals with Down syndrome is ____.