Behavioral Genetics: Understanding Genetic and Environmental Influences on Human Behavior
Psychology 992
Fall 2012
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2:40-4:00 pm, 275 Giltner Hall
GRADUATE SYLLABUS
Instructor: S. Alexandra Burt, PhD
Office: 107D Psychology Building
Office Hours: After class on Thursdays and by appointment
Phone: 432-5602
Email: burts@msu.edu (email is the BEST way to contact me)
Course Description: This course will provide an overview of the growing field of behavioral genetics,
which examines the relative influence of genes and environment on human behavior. We will begin by
examining the basic principles of behavioral genetic methodology, and how these are used to examine
the origins of human traits. We will then focus on recent findings from studies examining a number of
psychological characteristics, with a particular emphasis on genetic and environmental influences on
mental illness.
Course Readings and other materials:
 Plomin, R., DeFries, J.C., McClearn, G.E., & McGuffin, P. (2008). Behavioral Genetics (5th
edition)
 Course packet containing most, but not all, class overheads
 Article packet (detailed below)
Coursepack: The overhead coursepack and the articles will be available at Collegeville Textbook
Company, 321 E. Grand River.
Lectures: Assigned readings should be completed before class. Lectures will review some of the topics
covered in the readings, but will also include related information not covered in the texts. Students are
responsible for ALL information presented during class sessions or in the texts.
Student Responsibilities and Evaluation: It is each student’s responsibility to become familiar with
this syllabus and to be aware of assigned readings and scheduled quizzes, papers, and tests. To do well
in this course, it is essential that you attend every class session and do the required readings. Material
on the quizzes will come from each day’s lecture notes and readings. Your final grade will be based
upon the following:
 2 quizzes, each worth 20% of your final grade (40% total)
 a paper (see instructions below), worth 35% of your final grade
 a cumulative final exam, worth 25% of your final grade
The final grades will be determined as follows:
 90-100% = 4.0
 85-89% = 3.5
 80-84% = 3.0
 75-79% = 2.5
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70-74% = 2.0
65-69% = 1.5
60-64% = 1.0
59% or less = 0.0
Quizzes: Quizzes are designed to test your understanding of basic terminology, your grasp of
elementary concepts, your knowledge of evidence associated with these concepts (e.g. research results),
your ability to apply these concepts to practical situations, and your ability to integrate these topics.
Quizzes may be in part cumulative, but will generally focus on material covered since the last quiz.
There will be roughly 60 items on each quiz. The items will be based on material covered in class and
on the readings. All quizzes will be multiple-choice format.
Final Exam: The final exam will be cumulative, meaning that it can cover anything covered in lecture
or in class. The final will be given on December 11 from 12:45 to 2:45 in our normal classroom. There
will be more of an emphasis placed on material covered since the last quiz. However, at least 60% of
the material will consist of previously learned material (that you have had quizzes on), so please study
EVERYTHING. It will consist of approximately 100 questions presented in a multiple-choice format.
Please refer to the make-up policy below.
Paper: A 15-20 page paper (in APA format) reviewing behavioral and/or molecular genetic research on
the psychopathological syndrome of your choice. The only requirement is that the paper must be both a
synthesis of the literature and a critical review of the topic (i.e., empirical papers must be discussed,
synthesized, and critiqued). The paper is due in class on November 27.
Please note that it is not acceptable to use a previously written paper for this course, or to write the same
paper for two different courses (e.g., for this course and for a course on personality). Students whose
papers are discovered to fit either of these situations will be severely penalized on their final grade,
including likely failure of the course. Moreover, plagiarism of any kind will not be tolerated and will
result in: 1) a grade of 0 on the paper; 2) discussions with the Clinical Psychology faculty about
additional penalties, including possible failure of the course or dismissal from the program.
Late and make-up policy: There are only a few acceptable reasons for missing an exam/turning in a
late paper. Therefore, in order to turn in a paper late you may either: a) arrange with me to turn in the
paper prior to the deadline; b) contact me at least 24 hours before the deadline and receive permission to
turn in the paper late. Failure to notify me within 24 hours in advance is likely to result in your
receiving zero points for the paper/exam. Please note that you must obtain permission from me prior to
missing tests or turning in the paper late. You must also offer written documentation corroborating your
excuse (e.g. physician’s note written on official stationary with a phone number that I can call to
confirm, the documented death of a family member).
Required articles (in article pack):
 Bouchard, T.J.Jr., Lykken, D.T., McGue, M., Segal, N.L., & Tellegen, A. (1990). Sources of
Human Psychological Differences: The Minnesota Study of Twins Reared Apart. Science,
250, 223-228.
 Burt, S.A. (2009). A mechanistic explanation of popularity: Genes, rule-breaking, and
evocative gene-environment correlations. Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, 96,
783-794.
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Burt, S.A., Donnellan, M.B., Humbad, M.N., McGue, M., & Iacono, W.G. (2010). Does
marriage inhibit antisocial behavior? An examination of selection versus causation via a
longitudinal twin design. Archives of General Psychiatry, 67, 1309-1315.
Cahill, L. (2005). His brain, her brain. Scientific American, 2-9.
Carey, G. & Gottesman, I.I. (2006). Genes and antisocial behavior: Perceived versus real
threats to jurisprudence. Journal of Law, Medicine, & Ethics, 342-351.
Caspi, A., McClay, J., Moffitt, T.E., Mill, J., Martin, J., et al. (2002). Role of violence in
maltreated children. Science, 297, 851-854.
Caspi, A. Sugden, K., Moffitt, T.E., Taylor, A., Craig, I.W. et al., (2003). Influence of life
stress on a depression: Moderation by a polymorphism in the 5-HTT gene. Science, 301,
386-389.
Colapinto, J. (1997). The true story of John/Joan. Rolling Stone, December 11, 54-97.
Culbert, K.M., Breedlove, S.M., Burt, S.A., & Klump, K.L. (2008). Prenatal testosterone
exposure and risk for eating disorders: A comparison of opposite-sex and same-sex twins.
Archives of General Psychiatry, 65, 329-336.
Duyme, M., Dumaret, A-C., Tomkiewicz, S. (1999). How can we boost IQs of “dull
children”?: A late adoption study. Proceedings and the National Academy of Sciences, USA,
96, 8790-8794.
Garver-Apgar, C.E., Gangestad, S.W., Thornhill, R., Miller, R.D., & Olp, J.J. (2006). Major
histocompatibility complex alleles, sexual responsivity, and unfaithfulness in romantic
couples. Psychological Science, 17, 830-835.
Gheyara, S., Klump, K.L., McGue, M., Iacono, W.G., & Burt, S.A. (2011). The death(s) of
close friends and family moderate genetic influences on symptoms of Major Depressive
Disorder. Psychological Medicine, 41, 721-730.
Jablensky, A. (2006). Subtyping schizophrenia: Implications for genetic research.
Molecular Psychiatry, 11, 815-836.
Kendler, K.S., Karkowski, L.M., & Prescott, C.A. (1999). Causal relationship between
stressful life events and the onset of major depression. American Journal of Psychiatry, 156,
837-841.
Knopik, V.S., Heath, A.C., Jacob, T., Slutke, W.S., Bucholz, K.K., et al. (2006). Maternal
alcohol use disorder and offspring ADHD: Disentangling genetic and environmental effects
using a children-of-twins design. Psychological Medicine, 36, 1461-1471.
McGue, M., Iacono, W.G., Legrand, L.N., Malone, S., & Elkins, I. (2001a). Origins and
consequences of age at first drink (I): Associations with substance use disorders,
disinhibitory behavior/psychopathology, & P3 amplitude. Alcoholism: Clinical and
Experimental Research, 25, 1156-65.
McGue, M., Iacono, W.G., Legrand, L.N., & Elkins, I. (2001b). Origins and consequences
of age at first drink (II): Familial risk and heritability. Alcoholism: Clinical and
Experimental Research, 25, 1166-73.
Scarr, S. & McCartney, K. (1983). How people make their own environments: A theory of
genotype  environment effects. Child Development, 54, 424-435.
Servin, A., Nordenström, Larsson, A. & Bohlin, G. (2003). Prenatal androgens and gendertyped behavior: A study of girls with mild and severe forms of congenital adrenal
hyperplasia. Developmental Psychology, 39, 440-450.
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Reading Assignments and Deadlines
(Behavioral Genetics: BG)
Fundamentals of molecular and behavioral genetics
 August 30: -
September 4: BG chapters 1 (Overview) & 2 (Mendel’s laws of heredity)
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September 6: BG chapters 3 (beyond Mendel’s laws) & 4 (DNA: The basis of heredity)
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September 11: BG, chapter 5 (how to investigate genetics of animal and human behavior)
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September 13: BG, chapter 6 (identifying genes)
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September 18: ---
Gene-environment interactions and correlations (G-E interplay)
 September 20: BG, chapter 16 (environment)
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September 25: Scarr & McCartney (1983); Burt (2009)
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September 27: BG, chapter 15 (pathways betweens genes and behavior)
Genetics and IQ: Genetic influences, DNA regions of interest, G-E interplay
 October 2: BG, chapters 7 & 8 (genetics of cognitive disabilities & general cognitive ability)
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October 4: QUIZ#1
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October 9: Bouchard (1990); Duyme (1999)
Evolutionary psychology, mate selection, neurohormonal theory of gender identity
 October 11: BG, chapter 17 (evolutionary psychology); Colapinto (1997)
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October 16: ---
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October 18: NO CLASS
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October 23: Servin (2003); Cahill (2005); Garver-Apgar (2006); Culbert (2008)
Genetics and substance abuse: Genetic influences (ALHD2), DNA regions of interest
(chromosomes 1,2,7), biological pathways (sensitivity to alcohol as an inherited mediator),
personality as an inherited mediator
 October 25: BG: chapter 13 (genetics of personality & personality disorders)
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October 30: McGue (2001, a and b)
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Antisocial behavior & ADHD: DNA regions of interest (DAT1, DRD4; MAOA), biological
pathways (caudate, putamen; serotonin, dopamine), G-E interplay
 November 1: BG, chapter 12 (but focus on 229-232; genetics of behavioral disorders); Knopik
(2006)
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November 6: Caspi (2002); Burt (2010)
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November 8: Carey (2006)
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November 13: QUIZ#2
Mood disorders: DNA regions of interest (linkage analyses; X-linked hypothesis), biological
pathways (serotonin), G-E interplay, differential heritability of MDD and Bipolar
 November 15: BG, chapter 11 (genetics of mood disorders)
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November 20: Kendler (1999); Caspi (2003); Gheyara (2011)
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November 22: NO CLASS
Schizophrenia: DNA regions of interest (chromosomes 5 and 22, genome-wide linkage results,
COMT), reproductive fitness, obstetrical complications, season of birth effect
 November 27: FINAL PAPER DUE IN CLASS
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November 29: BG, chapter 10 (genetics of schizophrenia) ; Jablensky (2006)
Ethics and cloning
 December 4: 3 cloning summaries (handed out last class)
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December 6 : ---
Final Exam: Tuesday, December 11, 12:45-2:45 in regular classroom
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