Question 1

Which type of study is best suited to determine the influence of a unique environment on childhood obesity?

Accepted Answer

Adoption studies

Question 2

According to the data on schizophrenia risk, which group has the highest likelihood of developing schizophrenia if a close relative is affected?

Accepted Answer

Identical twins

Question 3

In twin studies, a higher correlation for a trait in monozygotic twins compared to dizygotic twins suggests what?

Accepted Answer

Genetic factors play a significant role in the trait

Question 4

Which of the following is a misconception about heritability?

Accepted Answer

Heritability is a fixed number for a trait

Question 5

If the heritability of IQ in a population is 0.6, what does this mean?

Accepted Answer

60% of the variation in IQ among individuals in the population is due to genetic differences

Question 6

Which scenario best illustrates a gene x environment interaction?

Accepted Answer

Individuals with a certain genotype only develop depression when exposed to stressful life events

Question 7

What is the main purpose of adoption studies in behavioral genetics?

Accepted Answer

To assess the resemblance between adopted children and both their biological and adoptive parents

Question 8

Which of the following statements about heritability is TRUE?

Accepted Answer

Heritability refers to the relative influence of genes compared to environment on individual differences in a trait within a population at a given time

Question 9

If environmental variation increases in a population, what is likely to happen to the heritability of a trait?

Accepted Answer

Heritability will decrease

Question 10

Which equation correctly represents the calculation of heritability ($h^2$) in twin studies?

Accepted Answer

$h^2 = 2(r_{MZ} - r_{DZ})$

Question 11

A population has identical genes for IQ, but there are still differences in IQ scores among individuals. What does this suggest about heritability?

Accepted Answer

Heritability has decreased

Question 12

Which of the following best describes epigenetics?

Accepted Answer

Heritable changes in phenotype or gene expression without changes in DNA sequence

Question 13

In the Caspi et al. (2004) study, individuals with one or two short alleles of the 5-HTT gene showed increased risk for depression only when exposed to stressful life events. What concept does this illustrate?

Accepted Answer

Gene x environment interaction

Question 14

Maze bright and maze dull rats show similar performance when raised in an enriched environment. What does this finding suggest?

Accepted Answer

Environmental factors can override genetic predispositions

Question 15

Which of the following is NOT a method used to study heritability?

Accepted Answer

Longitudinal studies

Question 16

Which group is least likely to get skin cancer due to melanin production?

Accepted Answer

People with dominant genes for darker skin

Question 17

Which of the following statements about the nature vs. nurture debate is most accurate?

Accepted Answer

Both genetic and environmental factors interact to influence traits

Question 18

A researcher finds that the correlation for intelligence between monozygotic twins is $r = 0.81$ and for dizygotic twins is $r = 0.51$. What is the estimated heritability ($h^2$) of intelligence in this sample?

Accepted Answer

$h^2 = 2 	imes (0.81 - 0.51) = 0.60$

Question 19

Which of the following best explains why phenylketonuria (PKU) is not 'destiny' despite being 100% heritable?

Accepted Answer

PKU can be managed by dietary changes, showing environment can alter outcomes

Question 20

Which of the following is an example of an epigenetic change?

Accepted Answer

Methylation of DNA that alters gene expression without changing the sequence

Heritability, Gene-Environment Interaction, and Epigenetics: Foundations in Behavioral Genetics

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