Heredity and Environment

Heredity- is the transmission of genetic characters

from parents to offspring. It is the process by which
the characteristics, or traits of a living organism,
plant or animal, are produced and transmitted from
parent to offspring. Heredity gives the human
individual a similarity to other organism, but also
uniqueness. Characteristics of both parents are
passed onto the child
MECHANISM
OF
HEREDITY
(PROCESS
OF
REPRODUCTION,
CHROMOSOMES AND GENES)
Zygote- is when sperm cell and egg cell meet
Each parent contributes 23 chromosomes, 46
total and 23 pairs. 23rd pair determine the sex
chromosome. Mitosis- the zygote divides into
two Chromosomes are threadlike bodies in
nucleus of each cell made up of genes. DNAdeoxyribonucleic acid (A,C,T,G)
Genes- are sub-microscopic particles in the
chromosomes. Unit carrier of heredity.
Through the influence of genes some cells
become neurons, muscle fibers, and some
bone structure. Genes always work in pairs.
Genes carry traits A.) Dominant Traitsmanifested traits, observable from outside
B.) Recessive Traits-do not show in the
offspring in the presence of a dominant trait.
If both have recessive trait, then offspring
will show the trait. Genes also determine the
sex of the offspring. (XX=female,
XY=male)
Mutation- alteration, insertion, changes or
deletion of genes.
Sex-linked trait- a heredity characteristic
controlled by a gene carried on the sexdetermining chromosome. Female are
common carrier. (Color blind, baldness,
haemophilia)
Chromosomal Sex Linked Disorder- disorder
involving the 22nd pair of chromosomes.
Result friom an extra chromosome pr
defective genes. (fragile X syndrome,
Klinefelter Syndrome, Tuners Syndrome)
Twinning- A.) Dizygotic(Fraternal) twinstwins result from two sperm penetrating two
ova, and share 50% of their genes. B.)
Monozygotic(indentical) twins- splitting of
one zygote into two separate celss which
develop into two individuals organism.

Environment- development of an individual

obviously depends on both its genes and its
environment, but the precise character of the
interplay between the developing individual
and its environment is critical. At each phase
of development the organism may be sensitive
to particular environmental cues with the
effects of its responses impacting on
subsequent stages of development. Society is
one of the factor that affect the development
of an individual.

Growth, Maturation and Development

Theories of Human Development
Psychosexual Stage
Psychosocial Stage
Cognitive Stage of development (Jean Piaget)
Assimilation- taking in new information
Accommodation- taking in new information
by restricting old schemas
Cognitive Equilibrium- every organism
strives toward equilibrium with the
environment and equilibrium within oneself.
When assimilation and accommodation are in
balanced coordination, neither one is
dominant, equilibrium is achieved
Sensorimotor
Stage
(birth-2)object
permanence (the notion that there are entities
that have a reality of their own, independent
childs action. Thus, an object continues to
exist when the child cannot, see, hear, or feel
it.
Pre-Operational Stage (2-7) - Piaget
characterized this stage as frozen because
of lack of flexibility, egocentrism, semi
logical reasoning. Kids learn through pretend
play but still struggle with logic and taking
the point of view of other people.
Concrete Operational stage (7-11) - Kids at
this point of development begin to think more
logically, but their thinking can also be very
rigid. They tend to struggle with abstract and
hypothetical concepts.
Formal Operational stage (11-onwards)- used
scientific method in thinking and reasoning.
Formulate hypothesis and test this hypothesis
against reality.
Moral Stages of development (Kohlberg)- focus
on the stages an individual undergoes to attain a

higher level of moral reasoning. Three Levels,

two stages in every level.
Pre-conventional Level- motivated by
external pressures
Stage1:Punishment and obedience orientation
Stage2: Reward orientation
Conventional Level- confirming to norms of
majority and maintaining social order

Stage3:Good boy/good girl orientation

Stage4:Authority orientation
Post Conventional Level- principle and
values like justice and human dignity should
be preserved
Stage5:Social contract orientation
Stage6: Ethical principle