Study Resources for Your Nature & Nurture Test

Your test on the Nature-Nurture unit will be Monday, November 3. In addition to the resources you received in class (e.g., MC study guide), you might find these links helpful:

• Video overview of Twin Studies (3 min)
• Video: The Jim Twins - Describes the work of Thomas Bouchard, who studied identical twins separated at birth.
• Video Crash Course: Natural Selection - Though more animal biology-related, this video reviews the basic principle that applies in Evolutionary Psych as well.
• Video Crash Course: Heredity - NOTE: Heredity not the same thing as "heritabiliy," but this is still a helpful overview of genes, chromosomes, DNA, etc.
• Heritability Explained - more web articles & quiz questions to test your understanding of the concept.
• Video Crash Course: Epigenetics - biological overview of how epigenetics works
• Video: Epigenetics: Why Do Identical Twins Not Always Look the Same? - NOVA Science NOW
• Study Session Resources:
• Agenda Slideshow
• Practice FRQ

Quizlet Flashcards:



Notes - Behavior Genetics & Evolutionary Psych (Note: You will need to be signed in to your chipfalls.org account in order to view).



Notes (10/31/14) on Sex & Gender

Nature & Nurture Projects

Thanks, everyone, for your patience with my absence(s) over the past week. I promise I'll do my best to get us back on track this week, as we delve into the Nature-Nurture issue more deeply!

You'll have one project to complete this week (and one reading quiz, on Wednesday!). Take a moment to look over your project options and their related scoring guidelines. Both options have the same deadline - Friday, October 31st - which should help prepare you for your unit test on Monday, Nov. 3!

• Project Option #1 - The Nature & Nurture of You! (Poster + written interpretation). Be sure to consult the scoring guidelines for details about how your work will be evaluated.
• Project Option #2 - The Nature & Nurture of.....(Insert Topic of Your Interest Here). (Formal academic paper). You may wish to consult this list of links to relevant sources (will be updated throughout the week...send me more if you wish to have them added!). Scoring guidelines are posted here. 

Nature & Nurture Review Tools

As you prepare for the Unit Three test, some review tools...

• Although somewhat advanced (not all the questions relate to our course content), this practice MC test on heritability would be a good review of that important, but difficult, concept.
• This short video reviews Twin Studies & Adoption Studies, though an even MORE in-depth, multi-part tutorial can be found here.
• Video Crash Course: Natural Selection - Though more animal biology-related, this video reviews the basic principle that applies in Evolutionary Psych as well.
• Video Crash Course: Heredity - NOTE: Heredity not the same thing as "heritability," but this is still a helpful overview of genes, chromosomes, DNA, etc.
• Heritability Explained - more web articles & quiz questions to test your understanding of the concept.

The video below reviews Twin Studies:

Of course, we don't want to forget our good friend Quizlet. There may be fewer vocabulary terms this unit, but that doesn't mean they are not important to know and apply. Obviously, some may appear on the FRQ you are asked to do, so be ready to explain how these terms impact development & human differences.

 

Ermahgerd! Mermes! (Memes)

Today, discussing the topic of "Nurture" as an influence on development led us into a discussion of memes. As tiny units of culture, memes influence our speech, dress, behavior, and thinking, but often in subtle ways.

No example of memes are more powerful than the fast-spreading, often nonsensical memes generated via the Internet. From LOL Cats to Planking to Gangnam Style, Internet memes showcase both the speed of cultural transmission and the creativity of Internet users, who seem endlessly capable of spawning new variations of popular memes.

In class today, we got a look at the history of the now-popular "Ermahgerd" (Oh My God) meme, whose history is described in the video below.



After you're done completing your Nature-Nurture projects tonight, see if you can come up with a AP Psych-related incarnation of the Ermahgerd meme. Then post a link here or on the Facebook page. We want to see it. :)

Nature & Nurture Quizlet

Those of you studying from home tonight might find the Nature and Nurture Quizlet vocab review helpful. Also don't forget to check out the Unit Objectives for Chapter 3 for a handy checklist of stuff you should be prepared to know and do for tomorrow's test.

Good luck with your studying!

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Here it is! Steven Pinker on "Nature" & Child Development

Here's what I was looking for! A couple years ago Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker made an appearance on The Colbert Report to hype his (at the time) latest book: The Blank Slate. In the book, Pinker makes the case for genetic predispositions in human behavior (both as a species and within individuals).

The interview with Colbert delved into developmental psychology and all the exciting work being done with infants these days. It provides a nice discussion of how crucial the nature-nurture issue is within developmental psychology. And they talk about swearing. Enjoy.

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Steven Pinker
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Michael Moore

Steven Pinker on Genetics...and on the Colbert Report

While searching for another interview video of Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker (one on the "nature-nurture" issue), I stumbled upon this one from February of this year.

I'll post the one I was looking for later, because this one is great for its discussion of the role of genes and the current state of understanding about the human genome. Pinker published his entire genome online...which Stephen Colbert suggests is like revealing "the social security number God gave you." His reflections on the implications of his genetic testing were published in the New York Times Magazine, and are also worth a gander.

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Steven Pinker
http://www.colbertnation.com/
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Michael Moore

Nature and Nurture Prezi

Intelligence & Genes: More Evidence of a Connection

More Evidence That Intelligence Is Largely Inherited: Researchers Find That Genes Determine Brain's Processing Speed

ScienceDaily (2009-03-18) -- A new type of brain imaging scanner shows that intelligence is strongly influenced by the quality of the brain's axons or wiring that sends signals throughout the brain. The faster the signaling, the faster the brain processes information. And since the integrity of the brain's wiring is influenced by genes, the genes we inherit play a far greater role in intelligence than was previously thought. ... > read full article