Behavioural genetics
Behavioural Genetics
Behavioural genetics, also spelled as behavioral genetics (pronounced as /bɪˈheɪvjərəl ˈdʒɛnɪtɪks/), is a field in genetics that studies the genetic and environmental influences on behaviours. The term was first coined in the late 20th century, with the etymology stemming from the English words "behaviour" and "genetics".
Definition
Behavioural genetics is a subfield of psychology and genetics that investigates the impact of an individual's genetics and their environment on their behaviour. This field seeks to identify which behaviours are hereditary and are therefore influenced by genes, which are acquired, and which are a combination of both.
History
Behavioural genetics as a scientific discipline emerged from the Human Genome Project and advances in DNA sequencing. Early behavioural genetic studies were largely based on twin and adoption studies, and have since evolved to include molecular genetic approaches such as genome-wide association studies (GWAS).
Methods
Behavioural genetics employs a variety of research methods, including family studies, twin studies, and adoption studies. More recently, molecular genetic techniques such as polygenic scoring and genome sequencing have been used.
Related Terms
- Genome-wide association studies (GWAS): An observational study of a genome-wide set of genetic variants in different individuals to see if any variant is associated with a trait.
- Polygenic scoring: A method to summarize the estimated effects of many genetic variants on a trait into a single number.
- Twin studies: A type of research design that compares the similarity of identical (monozygotic) twins and fraternal (dizygotic) twins to estimate genetic and environmental influences on behaviour.
- Adoption studies: A research method in behavioural genetics which involves the analysis of adopted individuals who share their adoptive family environment but not their genes.
See Also
References
External Links
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Behavioural genetics
- Wikipedia's article - Behavioural genetics
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