Reading 7Name:

Final Exam: Part 1

Part 1: These questions deal with the novel The Pearl. Type your answers, double-spaced and formatted Write complete answers, a minimum of 250 words, for each question. Support with quotations, but answer using original sentences.

  1. What is the ultimate message that Steinbeck wanted to share with us in The Pearl? Some people consider this novel to be about how the greed and ambition of one man destroys him. Others consider it to be about how society crushes the poor and weak, preventing them from changing their own lives. Which view do you support? Explain in detail.
  1. Juana supports her husband through good times and bad, and so does his brother. Is this support good or bad for Kino? Do these characters have any choice?
  1. Choose one theme in the novel and discuss it. Explain what it is; what Steinbeck thinks of it; what each chapter has to say about it. Also discuss your own opinion of the theme.
  2. The pearl itself means different things to different people. Choose three different people and describe what the pearl means to each.

Part 2: College Reading. Complete these three tasks based on the reading “Genetic Influences on Behavior” (on the next page).

  1. Summarize the reading in 4 – 6 sentences.
  1. Summarize the reading in one sentence.
  1. Write an outline of the reading. For this outline, do not use quotes taken directly from the reading. Use your own original sentences and paraphrase as needed. Handwriting is OK. Use Roman numerals for paragraphs and include several sub-points for each Roman numeral.

Genetic Influences on Behavior

1 We have no doubt that genes influence many patterns of behavior (Cabib et al., 2000; Plomin, DeFries, McCleam, & Rutter, 1997). Some dogs are bold or placid in temperament; others are yappy. They all share enough genes to make them dogs and not cats, but they may differ greatly from one another in their behavior and physical traits. People have selectively bred animals to enhance specific behavior patterns as well as physical traits.

2 One of the oldest debates in psychology is the nature-nurture problem. Is our behavior governed by nature (genetics) or nurture (environment and culture)? Though the debate continues, most psychologists believe human behavior is influenced both by genes and the environment in varying degrees (Cacioppo et al., 2000; Plomin & Crabbe, 2000). Heredity influences many psychological characteristics, such as intelligence, shyness, aggressiveness, sociability, and even special aptitudes in music and art (Angier, 1996; Plomin & Crabbe, 2000). Genes may even contribute to our tendencies to have a happy or sad disposition (Lykken, 1999). Heredity also plays a role in many psychological disorders, including anxiety disorders, substance abuse, mood disorders, and schizophrenia (DiLalla et al., 1996).

3 The genotype, or genetic code, is a kind of recipe for determining the features or traits of the organism. But whether the genotype is expressed in the organism's observable traits, or phenotype, depends on a complex interaction of genes and other factors. Psychological traits, such as shyness, intelligence, or a predisposition to schizophrenia or alcoholism, appear to be polygenic traits, which means they are influenced by multiple genes interacting in complex ways. Scientists expect that within a few years we will discover many of the genes that influence behavior (Plomin & Crabbe, 2000). But with few exceptions (the genetic disorder Huntington's disease is one example), genes do not dictate what our lives or personalities will become (Rose, 1995). Genetic factors create a predisposition or likelihood (not a certainty) that certain behaviors, abilities, personality traits, or psychological disorders will emerge (Frank & Kupfer, 2000; Sapolsky, 2000). Nongenetic factors, such as family relationships, stress, and learning experiences, play a large role in determining how, or even if, genetic factors become expressed in observable behaviors or psychological traits.

4 Scientists believe that genetic and environmental influences interact with each other in complex ways in shaping many aspects of our personality (Johnston & Edwards, 2002). For example, landmark research by psychologist David Reiss and his colleagues showed that the degree to which genetic influences on the personality trait of shyness become expressed in overt behavior depends on the interactions the child has with its parents and other important people in its life (Reiss, Neiderhiser, Hetherington, & Plomin, 2000). Parents who are overprotective of a shy child may accentuate an underlying genetic tendency toward shyness, whereas those who encourage more outgoing behavior may help the child overcome it.

5 The contemporary version of the nature-nurture debate is more about the relative contributions of nature and nurture to particular behaviors than it is about nature or nurture. According to recent estimates, genes are believed to account for about half of the variability among people in major personality traits and general intelligence or cognitive ability (T.J. Bouchard, 1994; Gottesman, 1997; Vernon et al. 1997).

[Source: Psychology Concepts and Applications, by Jeffrey S. Nevid, Houghton-Mifflin Co., 2003, pp. 81-82]