Studies in experimental behavior genetics: II. Individual differences in geotaxis as a function of chromosome variations in synthesized Drosophila populations.

1959 ◽  
Vol 52 (3) ◽  
pp. 304-308 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jerry Hirsch
2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christoph Julian von Borell ◽  
Alexander Weiss ◽  
Lars Penke

As is the case for humans, it has long been thought that nonhuman primates can be described in terms of their personality. Scientific observations that support this view include the presence of individual differences in social behavior and that they are relatively stable throughout life. Consequently, individuals are constrained in their behavioral flexibility when dealing with various environmental challenges. Still, the variation among individuals during development suggests that the environment influences how primates behave. Research in fields including psychology, behavior genetics, and behavioral ecology have tried to identify the mechanisms responsible for this interplay of behavioral stability and change. In this review we integrate theories and findings from research on humans and nonhuman primates that highlight how and to what extent genetic and environmental contributions shape the development of social behavior. To do so we first provide an overview and define what is meant by mean level and rank-order change of behavior. We then review explanations of behavioral stability and change, focusing on the role of genetic effects, how environmental circumstances influence behavioral variation throughout development, and how genetic and environmental influences may interact to produce this variation. Finally, we point to future research directions that could help us to further understand the development of social behavior in primates from within a behavior genetics framework.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruben C. Arslan ◽  
Lars Penke

Evolutionary forces of selection, mutation, migration, and genetic drift interact to maintain heritable individual differences. Resolving the ostensible paradox posed by the fact that heritable differences in personality and intelligence, in spite of their links to mortality and fertility, have not been driven to fixation, is within the purview of evolutionary genetics. We introduce the tool kit available to psychologists who want to understand these forces. It assembles complementary tools from molecular and behavior genetics, as well as classical evolutionary psychology, including the study of genome-wide associations, paternal age effects, inbreeding depression, developmental stability, and of course twins and families. We identify an unfortunate lack of cross-pollination, but map ways in which these disciplines, which share a common evolutionary metatheory, could test the tacit assumptions inherent in much of our work. Although it may take some time and may in some cases be impossible to identify the causative genes behind individual differences, we make the case that understanding the evolutionary forces involved in their maintenance is a worthy task in its own right, permitting us to understand and predict the effects of changing mores, policy, and demographic trends.


1999 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 519-520 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simona Cabib ◽  
Stefano Puglisi-Allegra

The target article approaches individual differences in terms of phenotypic differences developing through the interaction between a specific genetic make up and environmental variables. This interaction is proposed to be cooperative and oriented toward a progressive stabilisation of the trait. However, experimental data from animal studies indicate that environmental pressure promotes dramatic changes in phenotypic expression in mature organisms. Indeed, environmental constraint not only promotes the phenotypic expression of facilitated VTA-NAS DA transmission in genotype-resistant individuals; it also inhibits its expression in genetically prone individuals. This is in line with negative genotype-environment correlation revealed by behavior genetics.


2018 ◽  
Vol 41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin C. Ruisch ◽  
Rajen A. Anderson ◽  
David A. Pizarro

AbstractWe argue that existing data on folk-economic beliefs (FEBs) present challenges to Boyer & Petersen's model. Specifically, the widespread individual variation in endorsement of FEBs casts doubt on the claim that humans are evolutionarily predisposed towards particular economic beliefs. Additionally, the authors' model cannot account for the systematic covariance between certain FEBs, such as those observed in distinct political ideologies.


2019 ◽  
Vol 42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter C. Mundy

Abstract The stereotype of people with autism as unresponsive or uninterested in other people was prominent in the 1980s. However, this view of autism has steadily given way to recognition of important individual differences in the social-emotional development of affected people and a more precise understanding of the possible role social motivation has in their early development.


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