Exam 2: Genes and Behavior

Social work professionals deal with genetics each day indirectly by responding to the traits, behaviors, and conditions of their clients.

John Wright and colleagues examined the effects of prenatal and infant exposure to lead and its effects on behavior during adulthood. They found that higher levels of fetal and infant lead exposure were associated with higher levels of criminal activity and violent arrests during adulthood, even when they controlled for important correlates of offending, such as demographic characteristics of the mother and child. Which is a reason for the prospective link between lead exposure and crime?

The COMT gene is important for clinical social workers for which reason?

There is extensive evidence that prenatal exposure to alcohol and drugs contributes to neural dysfunction.

In behavioral genetics, which concept relates to unique circumstances, such as friendship networks of twins?

It is likely that criminologists will find a single gene that causes crime.

Gene-environment interplay can be seen in which life stages?

Most human behaviors are the outcome of Mendelian disorders.

Many early-life family behaviors have been shown to influence behavior and moderate genetic factors. Parenting and other early-life home factors are consistent with which concept from behavioral genetics research?

Which concept relates to the idea that individual genes affect multiple phenotypes?

The first research to directly link a measured gene to a personality trait centered on which personality construct?

Which concept conveys the notion that despite the effects of natural selection, a considerable amount of genetic evolution is random?

Multifactorial phenotypes are composed of all but which?

Which conditions are in part caused by genetic polymorphisms?

Which model suggests that individuals with genetic risks for disorders or maladaptive behaviors are most sensitive to environmental risk for those disorders?

In behavioral genetics, which concept captures the role of genetic factors as a causal force for behavior?

Which describes genes that have different variants or forms?

The cell to society approach of this text is consistent with all but which model?

Which has been referred to as the warrior gene because of its association with various forms of aggression and antisocial behavior?

Terrie Moffitt is a leading biosocial scientist whose work focuses on the genetic and environmental causes of antisocial behavior. What are some summary comments that she has made about this area of research?