Briefly define the following:
Short answer questions:
1. List four steps in designing an instrument used to measure individual differences in some trait.
2. What is the purpose of transforming a person's absolute score on a test into a standardized score (i.e., "z-score")?
3. Briefly define reliability of a measuring instrument, and describe one method for establishing an instrument's reliability.
4. Briefly define validity of a measuring instrument, and describe one method for establishing an instrument’s validity.
5. Briefly define "heritability" of a trait, and describe one way to estimate it in humans. (8 points)
6. Name and briefly describe the roles of two motivational or personality variables important to school achievement.
7. Given that A is a dominant gene which causes "tongue-rolling" ability in humans, list the phenotypes associated with each of the following genotypes (3 points):
Genotype Phenotype
AA ___
Aa ___
aa ___
8. List and briefly define three of the nine aspects of "schizotypal personality disorder", as discussed by Dr. Raine in the readings and lecture.
9. Define “Intelligence Quotient” or “I.Q.”. If a person has an I.Q. of 100, what does it imply?
10. List three possible sources of bias in Intelligence tests.
11. List and briefly describe the five axes on the DSM -IV.
12. List the factors which might influence the resemblance of MZ twins reared apart (r MZ- A).
13. What criticisms can generally be made about studies of (a) twins reared together, (b) adoption studies, and (c) nuclear families, whenever such studies are used to estimate the relative contributions of genes and environment to diversity?
Essays:
1. Discuss empirical evidence (covered both in the lectures and readings) which support the effects of both heredity and environment in producing individual differences in one of the following domains of human behavior: (a) intelligence, (b) schizophrenia, (c) mood (or affective) disorders (including both unipolar and bipolar forms), (d) alcohol use and abuse. (Be sure to distinguish in your answer between environmental effects shared and not shared by family members.)
2. Describe how the heritability of educational attainment could be considered an indicator of "social equity" for individuals living in a certain culture during a given historical period.
3. Describe one theory of intelligence. Is there any empirical evidence which either supports or fails to support this theory?
Problems:
1. For a given trait, suppose the correlation between MZ twins (reared together) is .78 and the correlation between DZ twins (reared together is .42). Calculate (a) the heritability of the trait, (b) the effects of environment shared by the twins, and (c) the effects of environment not shared by the twins.
2. Given a correlation of .25 between biological parents and their adopted-away offspring for a given trait, calculate the heritability of the trait. What reservations do you have about this calcuation--that is, what factors might bias this estimate of heritability?
3. If the correlation between adoptive siblings (not genetically related, but raised together) is .15 for a given trait, what can you say about genetic and/or environmental effects on the trait?