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Please replace all text with your information. Note that it is not permissible to use this topic or
any of the resources listed for your assignment.
How much of Brain and Behavior is Due to Heredity
Louisa Falin
School of Behavioral Sciences, Liberty University
PSYC 380: Physiological Psychology
Dr. Albert Pace
April 8, 2024
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How Much of Brain and Behavior is Due to Heredity
In response to the question, “how much of brain and behavior is due to heredity?”, this
paper will examine ways in which heredity impacts processes related to brain and behavior. The
brain and behavior are related to heredity due to genes influencing various brain structures and
functions resulting in differences in behavior.
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References
Ceccarelli, D. (2019). Between Social and Biological Heredity: Cope and Baldwin on Evolution,
Inheritance, and Mind. Journal of the History of Biology, 52(1), 161–194.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/45216509
Dong, Y., Weng, J., Zhu, Y., Sun, D., He, W., Chen, Q., Cheng, J., Zhu, Y., & Jiang, Y. (2023).
Transcriptomic profiling of the developing brain revealed cell-type and brain-region
specificity in a mouse model of prenatal stress. BMC Genomics, 24(1), 86-86.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-023-09186-8
Graves, J. L., & Goodman, A. H. (2022). Intelligence, Brains, and Behaviors. In Racism, Not
Race: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions (pp. 134–157). Columbia University Press.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.7312/grav20066.12
Hardie, J. L., & Cooney, C. R. (2023). Sociality, ecology and developmental constraints predict
variation in brain size across birds. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 36(1), 144-155.
https://doi.org/10.1111/jeb.14117
King James Version Bible (1611/2015) Divine Name Publishers
Misiewicz, Z., Iurato, S., Kulesskaya, N., Salminen, L., Rodrigues, L., Maccarrone, G., Martins,
J., Czamara, D., Laine, M. A., Sokolowska, E., Trontti, K., Rewerts, C., Novak, B., Volk,
N., Park, D. I., Jokitalo, E., Paulin, L., Auvinen, P., Voikar, V., . . . Hovatta, I. (2019).
Multi-omics analysis identifies mitochondrial pathways associated with anxiety-related
behavior. PLoS Genetics, 15(9), e1008358-e1008358.
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1008358
Pizzorusso, T., & Tognini, P. (2020). Interplay between metabolism, nutrition and epigenetics in
shaping brain DNA methylation, neural function and behavior. Genes, 11(7), 742.
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https://doi.org/10.3390/genes11070742
Naqvi, S., Sleyp, Y., Hoskens, H. et al. Shared heritability of human face and brain shape. Nat
Genet 53, 830–839 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41588-021-00827-w
Uy, F. M. K., Jernigan, C. M., Zaba, N. C., Mehrotra, E., Miller, S. E., & Sheehan, M. J. (2021).
Dynamic neurogenomic responses to social interactions and dominance outcomes in
female paper wasps. PLoS Genetics, 17(9), e1009474-e1009474.
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1009474
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Appendix
(Note: Replace highlighted text and/or follow instructions as indicated).
Instruction Example
Step
One
Begin with a general topic. Biological Psychology
Step
Two
Narrow your general topic by
selecting a topic from one chapter
title in our textbook.
Chapter 4: Genetics and Evolution of Behavior
Step
Three
Read that section in the textbook
to gain a general understanding.
Hereditability (pg. 109)
Step
Four
Ask a research question to begin
your investigation.
How much is brain and behavior due to heredity?
Step
Five
Begin your search to determine
what has been discovered on your
topic. This will be a preliminary
look at the topic. Feel free to flag
articles that look like they may be
helpful but don’t be in a hurry to
create a final list.
Research Tips:
1. Make a list of key words from the section of our textbook pertaining to
your topic to use as search terms. Hereditability, genes, brain, behavior, and
evolution.
2. Search for one of the articles cited in our textbook in the JF Library. Your
search will produce a list of related articles.
3. Type your research question in the Google Scholar search box to locate
related articles. Within Google Scholar you can then look at the “Cited By”
articles as well as the “Related Articles.” How much is brain and behavior
due to heredity.
4. Remember to narrow your search to include only articles from the last
five years.
5. In the JFL search engine you can specify the date range, the type of
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article, etc.
List the limiters you used in your search: date range, journal, journal article.
Step Six Based on what you find in the
literature, formulate a preliminary
purpose/thesis statement.
Your thesis statement should:
1. Answer your research
question by identifying
your topic,
2. State your position, and
3. Provide evidence to support
your position.
This purpose statement will likely
need to be adjusted/refined as
you work on your final paper.
The brain and behavior are related to heredity due to genes influencing
various brain structures resulting in differences in behavior.
Step
Seven
Finalize your research process by
choosing at least 8 articles from
the JF Library. All 8 must be
from peer-reviewed journals
published within the past 5 years.
At least 6 of the 8 should
describe original research. Each
article must support your research
question and purpose statement.
How to identify “original
Sample article list:
Replace the articles listed below with APA formatted reference citations for
your selected articles.
1. CECCARELLI, D. (2019). Between Social and Biological
Heredity: Cope and Baldwin on Evolution, Inheritance, and Mind.
Journal of the History of Biology, 52(1), 161–194.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/45216509
2. Dong, Y., Weng, J., Zhu, Y., Sun, D., He, W., Chen, Q., Cheng,
J., Zhu, Y., & Jiang, Y. (2023). Transcriptomic profiling of the
developing brain revealed cell-type and brain-region specificity in
a mouse model of prenatal stress. BMC Genomics, 24(1), 86-86.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-023-09186-8
3. Graves, J. L., & Goodman, A. H. (2022). INTELLIGENCE,
BRAINS, AND BEHAVIORS. In Racism, Not Race: Answers to
Frequently Asked Questions (pp. 134–157). Columbia University
Press. http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.7312/grav20066.12
4. Hardie, J. L., & Cooney, C. R. (2023). Sociality, ecology and
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research”
Original research articles will
include the following sections:
• Abstract
• Introduction (will not always
identified with a label)
• Methods
• Results
• Discussion
• References
The abstract for original
research will likely include
these words:
• Study
• Sample
The abstract for original
research will NOT include
these words:
• Review
• Meta-Analysis
developmental constraints predict variation in brain size across
birds. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 36(1), 144-155.
https://doi.org/10.1111/jeb.14117
5. Misiewicz, Z., Iurato, S., Kulesskaya, N., Salminen, L.,
Rodrigues, L., Maccarrone, G., Martins, J., Czamara, D., Laine,
M. A., Sokolowska, E., Trontti, K., Rewerts, C., Novak, B., Volk,
N., Park, D. I., Jokitalo, E., Paulin, L., Auvinen, P., Voikar,
V., . . . Hovatta, I. (2019). Multi-omics analysis identifies
mitochondrial pathways associated with anxiety-related behavior.
PLoS Genetics, 15(9), e1008358-e1008358.
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1008358
6. Naqvi, S., Sleyp, Y., Hoskens, H., Indencleef, K., Spence, J. P.,
Bruffaerts, R., Radwan, A., Eller, R. J., Richmond, S., Shriver, M.
D., Shaffer, J. R., Weinberg, S. M., Walsh, S., Thompson, J.,
Pritchard, J. K., Sunaert, S., Peeters, H., Wysocka, J., & Claes, P.
(2021). Shared heritability of human face and brain shape. Nature
Genetics, 53(6), 830-839. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41588-021-
00827-w Fropf, R., Zhou, H., & Yin, J. C. P. (2018). The clock
gene period differentially regulates sleep and memory in
drosophila. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 153(Pt A), 2-
12. https://doi:10.1016/j.nlm.2018.02.016
7. Pizzorusso, T., & Tognini, P. (2020). Interplay between
metabolism, nutrition and epigenetics in shaping brain DNA
methylation, neural function and behavior. Genes, 11(7), 742.
https://doi.org/10.3390/genes11070742
8. Uy, F. M. K., Jernigan, C. M., Zaba, N. C., Mehrotra, E., Miller,
S. E., & Sheehan, M. J. (2021). Dynamic neurogenomic responses
to social interactions and dominance outcomes in female paper
wasps. PLoS Genetics, 17(9), e1009474-e1009474.
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1009474
Step
Eight
Create an outline using evidence
you discover in scholarly articles
within the library to support your
Sample:
Replace the sample information below with information based on your
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purpose statement.
●List three main
supporting statements with at
least two sub-points under each
main point.
oOne scholarly article
should be used to support
each sub-point.
●Remember that you are
not just reviewing loosely
related articles but are
presenting a progression of
ideas to support your purpose
statement.
●A Biblical Integration
section should follow the three
main supporting statements.
Include two sub-points each
identifying a Biblical concept
(with reference) that speak to
your topic.
Remember that your final paper
will also include an Introduction
and Conclusion section along
with transition and synthesis
statements to create a smooth
flow of ideas.
research/topic.
Working Title: How much is Brain and Behavior Due to Heredity.
Thesis Statement: Heredity has a significant effect on brain and behavior
due to the fact that genes influence various structures functions of the brain
which results in differences of behavior.
Outline:
I. Introduction (Sahin, 2021)- “Brain shape heritability is equivalently
enriched near regulatory regions active in either forebrain organoids or
facial progenitors”.
II. First point of evidence <Brief statement describing this point>
A. (Uy et al., 2021)- “A single subordinate experience can influence
expression of multiple genes associated with behavioral and
physiological differences”.
III. Second point of evidence <Brief statement describing this point>
A. (Misiewicz, et al., 2019)- “Genetic and environmental factors
contribute to the etiology of psychiatric diseases but the underlying
mechanisms are poorly understood”.
III. Third point of evidence <Brief statement describing this point>
A. (Ceccarelli et al., 2019)- “If heredity is a form of memory, its laws
may resemble those of the psychic memory”.
IV. Biblical Integration – how do Biblical principles connect to this
topic?
A. The Bible says “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the
world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all
have sinned”. (King James Version, 2015, Romans 5:12).
V. Conclusion (Sahin, 2021)- “Early in embryogenesis, the face and brain
mutually shape each other through both structural effects and paracrine
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signaling, but this interplay may not impact later brain development
associated with cognitive function”.
Step
Nine
Pull it all together using APA
formatting standards (student
version).
Include all of the following items
in a separate document:
●Title page (formatted
according to APA student
standards).
●One page with your research
question and purpose
statement.
●One page with your simple
outline.
●Reference page with all
sources listed (8 peer-
reviewed journal articles, the
course textbook, and the
Bible).
●The Topic & Outline
Development Chart should
also be included as an
Appendix after your
Reference page.
NOTE: Do not include any
sources obtained outside of our
library (no magazine articles,
wikis, blog posts, etc.)
A template for an APA (student) paper is available here:
https://dcfwfuaf91uza.cloudfront.net/online/wp-content/uploads/APA-7th-
Template-Undergraduate.dotm
To use this template, please download a copy and replace the template text
with the information you have gathered.
To review general formatting rules:
https://www.liberty.edu/casas/academic-success-center/apa-guide/
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Step
Ten
Final Steps
●Review content
●Review formatting
●Self-check using the
assignment instructions
and grading rubric.
