PSY 3410 PBC
PSY 3410鈥擝ehavior Genetics and Individual Differences
Three Semester Hours
MDG 8/14
Prerequisites
University: 6 Hours of PSY including 101D or 1010.
Course Description
Extensive survey of individual differences and their relationship to genetic factors. Topics include chromosomal abnormalities, inborn errors of metabolism, genetic and prenatal screening, behaviors in infants, genetics and intellectual differences, psychopathology and genetics, racial differences, and continuing evolution of behavior.
Methods of Course Instruction
All material for this course is print-based. Instructor and students communicate and exchange materials through postal mail.
E-Print Option
In this course an option exists to use e-mail to submit your lesson assignments. Your assignment will be returned to you either as an e-mail attachment or as a hard copy sent through the postal mail, depending on the preferences of the instructor and/or program.
Textbooks and Supplies
Plomin, Robert, John C. DeFries, Valerie S. Knopik, and Janae M. Neiderhiser. Behavioral Genetics. 6th ed. 2013. [ISBN: 9781429242158]
Number of Lessons
The course has four lessons and four supervised course examinations. Lessons 1, 3, 5, and 7 contain the chapters (and pages) to read for the four exams that follow each unit. The lessons include:
- Lesson 1:
- Part A鈥斺淢endel鈥檚 Law of Heredity鈥
- Part B鈥斺淏eyond Mendel鈥檚 Law鈥
- Part C鈥斺淒NA鈥擳he Basis of Heredity鈥
- Part D鈥斺淚dentifying Genes
- Lesson 2: First Midcourse Exam Information
- Lesson 3:
- Part A鈥斺淣ature, Nurture, and Human Behavior鈥
- Part B鈥斺淓stimating Environmental and Genetic Influences鈥
- Part C鈥斺淭he Interplay Between Genes and Environment鈥
- Part D 鈥擜ppendix: 鈥淪tatistical Methods in Behavioral Genetics鈥
- Lesson 4: Second Midcourse Exam
- Lesson 5
- Part A鈥斺淐ognitive Disabilities鈥
- Part B鈥斺淕eneral Cognitive Ability鈥
- Part C鈥斺淪chizophrenia鈥
- Part D鈥斺淥ther Adult Psychopathology鈥
- Lesson 6: Third Midcourse Exam Information
- Lesson 7
- Part A鈥斺淒evelopmental Psychopathology鈥
- Part B鈥斺淧ersonality and Personality Disorders鈥
- Part C鈥斺淪ubstance Use Disorders鈥
- Part D鈥斺淗ealth Psychology and Aging鈥
- Lesson 8: Final Exam Information
The learning objectives, written assignments, and vocabulary lists will give you a guide to the most important material to study for each exam. Each exam will cover only the material covered in assignments A and B for each chapter in a unit. The final exam is NOT cumulative. All tests will consist of multiple-choice, matching, and short-answer questions.
Types of Writing Assignments
Each chapter contains two assignments:
- The first assignment (A) contains questions related to the required reading material that you are expected to complete and submit to the eLearning OHIO office as part of the written assignments required for this course. The written assignments must be submitted and reviewed by me before the examination for that unit can be taken.
- The second assignment (B) of each chapter contains a thorough list of words (key terms, self-study glossary) for you to define and study as you prepare for each exam (assignment B DOES NOT get submitted to the professor).
Each assignment (A and B) is intended to help you study and prepare for each exam.
Grading Criteria
The final grade will be computed on the following basis:
- Written Assignments 鈥 20%
- Unit I Exam 鈥 20%
- Unit II Exam 鈥 20%
- Unit III Exam 鈥 20%
- Unit IV (Final) Exam 鈥 20%