KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS

• Conception

• Genetics

• Chromosomes

• Genes

• DNA

• Mitosis

• Meiosis

• Dominant and recessive alleles

• Phenotype

• Genotype

• Monozygotic twins

• Dyzygotic twins

• Genetic defects

• Reaction range

• Canalization

• Niche picking

• Genetic counselling

• Preformist

• Empiricist

• Selectionist

• The family as a system

Introduction

Since the first edition of this textbook was published in 1993, considerable development has taken place in our understanding of the influence of genetics on human development. In this second edition, the focus is upon describing the nature of some of these significant gains and highlighting the implications for developmental psychology.

Between the time a baby is conceived and born, she or he has been subjected to nine months of genetic and environmental influence. Medical science has made considerable advances in identifying the likely effects of cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption and stress on the newly conceived child's development and these will be examined in chapter 5. In this chapter, consideration is given to the contribution that heredity and environment make to the foetus's development. In The Family Life-cycle: 4, the view of the family as a ‘system’ is discussed.

• Pregnancy is caused by spirit children in different places, such as a waterhole. Certain places are known by Aborigines to be plentiful in spirit children and only a woman who wants a child will approach such a location. […]