| Term | Definition |
| environment | every nongenetic influence, from prenatal nutrition to the people and things around us |
| behavior genetics | study of the relative power and limits of genetic environmental influences on behavior |
| chromosomes | threadlike structures made of DNA molecules that contain the genes |
| DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) | complex molecule containing the genetic information that makes up the chromosomes |
| genes | biochemical units of heredity that make up the chromosomes; segment of DNA capable of synthesizing a protein |
| genome | complete instructions for making an organism |
| identical twins | twins who develop from a single fertilized egg that splits in two, creating two genetically identical organisms |
| fraternal twins | twins who develop from separate fertilized eggs |
| temperament | person's characteristic emotional reactivity and intensity |
| heritability | proportion of variation among individuals that we can attribute to genes |
| interaction | effect of one factor (such as environment) depends on another factor (such as heredity) |
| natural selection | principle that, among the range of inherited trait variations, those that lead to increased reproduction and survival will most likely be passed on succeeding generations |
| mutation | random error in gene replication that leads to a change |
| gender | biologically and socially influenced characteristics by which people are defined male or female |
| culture | enduring behaviors, ideas, attitudes, values, and traditions shared by a group of people and transmitted from one generation to the next |
| norm | understood rule for accepted and expected behavior |
| personal space | buffer zone we like to maintain around our bodies |
| individualism | giving priority to one's own goals over group goals and defining one's identity in terms of personal attributes rather than group identification |
| collectivism | giving priority to the goals of one's group (family, group) and defining one's identity accordingly |
| aggression | physical or verbal behavior intended to hurt someone |
| X chromosome | sex chromosome found in both men and women |
| Y chromosome | sex chromosome only found in males |
| testosterone | most important of the male sex hormones; additional testosterone in males stimulates grown of sex organs |
| role | set of expectations (norms) about a social position, defining how those in the position out to behave |
| gender role | set of expected behaviors for males and for females |
| gender identity | one's sense of being male or female |
| gender-typing | acquisition of a traditional masculine or feminine role |
| social learning theory | learn social behavior by observing and imitating and by being rewarded or punished |
| gender schema theory | children learn from their cultures a concept of what it means to be male and female and how they adjust their behaviors accordingly |