Heredity's Influence

Definition

Heredity refers to the passing down of traits from parents to offspring through genetic information. When we talk about heredity's influence on something like intelligence, we mean how genes inherited from parents can affect an individual's intellectual abilities.

Related terms

Genotype:

The genetic makeup of an organism that determines its physical and behavioral characteristics.

Nature vs. Nurture Debate:

The ongoing discussion about whether human behavior is primarily determined by genetics (nature) or influenced by environment and experiences (nurture).

Twin Studies:

Research studies that compare similarities and differences between identical twins (who share 100% of their genes) and fraternal twins (who share around 50% of their genes).