Showing papers in "Behavior Genetics in 1978"
TL;DR: Since the selection experiment is replicated, other variables which are found to be reliably different among the high, control, and low lines are likely to be causally related to open-field activity; thus these selected lines of mice may be of use to other investigators.
Abstract: High and low lines resulting from 30 generations of bidirectional selection for open-field activity have nonoverlapping distributions and more than a thirtyfold difference in mean activity. Open-field defecation scores of lowactive lines are approximately 7 times higher than those of high-active lines, substantiating earlier reports of a large, negative genetic correlation between these characters. Since the selection experiment is replicated, other variables which are found to be reliably different among the high, control, and low lines are likely to be causally related to open-field activity; thus these selected lines of mice may be of use to other investigators.
258 citations
TL;DR: A brief review of theories of the causes of handedness shows why the major determinant is probably accidental variation, modified in man by a genetic factor inducing dextral bias.
Abstract: A brief review of theories of the causes of handedness shows why the major determinant is probably accidental variation, modified in man by a genetic factor inducing dextral bias. Levy's (1976, 1977) criticisms of Annett (1973) are answered by a detailed consideration of Chamberlain's (1928) report and by the presentation of an alternative analysis of the Hull family data using a criterion more similar to that of Rife (1940). The revised analysis is incompatible with the Levy-Nagylaki (1972) model of the genetics of handedness. New data on family preferences in two further student samples support the Hull findings. Data on manual skill in families are more consistent with an accidental than with a polygenic origin of human variability in handedness.
170 citations
TL;DR: Drosophila melanogaster males carrying the fruitless mutation, when interacting with other males, are deficient in their degree of rejection responses, but this defect is not sufficient to explain the abnormal male-male interactions.
Abstract: Drosophila melanogaster males carrying the fruitless mutation have been studied in their interactions with males and females. Mutant males—expressing a single recessive factor on the third chromosome—court mutant or wild-type males about 7 times more frequently than wild-type males court each other. Courtship by a fruitless male of a wild-type male is sustained and takes up an amount of time almost 100 times greater than the courtship interactions recorded between two normal males. While the mutant males do court females in a sustained manner, they attempt to copulate in less than 1% of the trials, never do copulate, and are thus behaviorally sterile. Fruitless males, when interacting with other males, are deficient in their degree of rejection responses, but this defect is not sufficient to explain the abnormal male-male interactions. The mutants stimulate wild-type males to court them with a frequency which is about 5 times higher than that observed between normal males. Fruitless males can stimulate other males to court them even when the former have been etherized or cut into pieces.
133 citations
TL;DR: The methods required for highly accurate zygosity diagnosis using blood typing, fingerprints, and anthropometry are outlined.
Abstract: Uniovular and diovular twin pairs can be classified with at least 90% accuracy by careful questioning or by ratings by observers of similarity in appearance, eye color, ear conformation, and the like. This article outlines the methods required for highly accurate zygosity diagnosis using blood typing, fingerprints, and anthropometry. The logic behind the use of discrete Mendelian phenotypes is explained and tables are provided which give the odds against a dizygotic twin pair showing concordance on eight blood group systems, four serum proteins, and six red blood cell enzymes. These tables are suitable for use with American twins of European ancestry; the method of generating such tables is explained so that similar tables based on different gene frequency estimates or for additional genetic markers can be easily constructed. The logic behind the use of metric, polygenic traits in zygosity diagnosis is also presented, together with tables giving the odds against a dizygotic twin pair showing various degrees of similarity in ponderal index, in cephalic index, and in Slater's Z score, a measure of fingerprint similarity. Taken together, the 18 serological markers should misclassify dizygotic twins as monozygotic fewer than two times in 1000. With the three anthropometric variables, this average probability of misclassification drops about 1 order of magnitude.
116 citations
TL;DR: It is shown empirically that differences in selection of data and in computational procedures and logical inconsistencies in specifying equations are not responsible for the differences in results, rather, the differences trace to the underlying assumptions made by the various authors.
Abstract: Three different published heredity-environment analyses of Jencks's summary correlations for IQ have yielded strikingly different results. It is shown empirically that differences in selection of data and in computational procedures and logical inconsistencies in specifying equations are not responsible for the differences in results. Rather, the differences trace to the underlying assumptions made by the various authors. The analyses suggest that the assumptions concerning genetic dominance, assortative mating, and special twin environments were especially critical, while those regarding selective placement and different modes of environmental transmission were not.
86 citations
TL;DR: Data appear to show that unequal environmental effects may lead to falsely high estimates of genetic variance for nutrient intake, especially when stratified on the basis of how frequently twins see each other.
Abstract: In the NHLI Twin Study MZ twins are shown to “get together” substantially more often than DZ twins. With this result as an indicator of differences in shared environment, the assumption of equal shared environmental variation for MZ and DZ twins is assessed using nutritional data calculated from a food frequency questionnaire. Six nutrients show significant genetic variance for the total sample. However, when stratified on the basis of how frequently twins see each other, none of the nutrients shows significant genetic variance for both strata. A similar pattern is seen for several individual items from the questionnaire. In addition, four of the nutrients show significant correlation between the absolute difference in the nutrient intake of MZ twin pairs and how often they “get together.” These data appear to show that unequal environmental effects may lead to falsely high estimates of genetic variance for nutrient intake.
81 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the effects of beta-alanine on mating behavior and aggression were studied in Drosophila melanogaster using the following competitive pairs: (1) homozygous black (b/b) flies, in which betaalanine synthesis is decreased, vs. alanine is blocked vs. wild-type (e+/e+) flies.
Abstract: Effects of beta-alanine on mating behavior and aggression were studied in Drosophila melanogaster using the following competitive pairs: (1) homozygous black (b/b) flies, in which beta-alanine synthesis is decreased, vs. alanine is blocked vs. wild-type (e+/e+) flies; (2) dark flies, in which beta-alanine incorporation is reduced, owing mainly to chromosome 3, vs. light flies collected from the same population as were the dark flies; (3) homozygous black (b/b) flies, in which beta-alanine synthesis is decreased, vs. beta-alanine-infected b/b flies, which are phenocopies of wild-type flies. The behavior of mixed-sex groups was studied in a large, illumination-graded observation chamber containing food and in small uniformly illuminated cells also containing food. The relative competitive mating abilities of these types were measured in both experimental conditions. Uninjected black flies, but not injected ones, showed weak and unsteady gait and weak wing extension. In ebony these abnormalities were more extreme. Dark flies did not show these abnormalities. Accelerated sexual maturation was indicated in males by early onset of courtship and enhanced territorial aggression and in females by earliness of mating. Such acceleration was observed in ebony and dark flies, compared with light flies, and among beta-alanine-injected b/b flies competing with uninjected black flies. Ebony males, although maturing earlier than wild-type males, were less successful than wild-type males in mating. This difference was even greater when the flies were all allowed to mature before competing. Ebony females outmated wild-type females. Dark flies outmated light flies, and beta-alanine-injected b/b males outmated uninjected black males, especially in bright light. Ebony flies mated much longer than wild-type flies, and black flies mated slightly longer than injected b/b flies. There was some spatial isolation of ebony from wild type, dark from light, and beta-alanine-injected from uninjected b/b flies in the illumination-graded observation chamber. Ebony flies more than wild type concentrated near food. Flies were attracted to the current of moist inlet air. They were also attracted to deposited excrement, and males defended such deposits as a mating area, thus showing rudiments of arena behavior in which a mating area away from the oviposition site is defended. Usually, however, the defended area focused on food.
64 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the consistency of twin data with personality questionnaires using all reported twin samples which have been administered the California Psychological Inventory and found that the scale correlations for the MZ twins are fairly consistent across different samples while the correlations for DZ twins fail to show as much consistency.
Abstract: The consistency of twin data with personality questionnaires is examined using all reported twin samples which have been administered the California Psychological Inventory. The scale correlations for the MZ twins are fairly consistent across different samples while the correlations for DZ twins fail to show as much consistency. Differences, moreover, between MZ and DZ correlations fail to replicate across samples. Sampling error and sampling bias are proposed as the major reasons for the inconsistency, and when these factors are taken into account the resulting heritabilities suggest that the CPI scales loading on the extraversion-introversion factor are the most heritable. The implications of sampling error and sampling bias for estimating genetic parameters from correlational twin data, for uncovering differential heritability of personality traits, and for designing future research are discussed.
40 citations
TL;DR: The pattern of parent-child correlations for three relatively pure tests of spatial ability and for the spatial factor did not conform to that of a sex-linked recessive character.
Abstract: Regressions of offspring on midparent value for tests of specific cognitive abilities in Korea were considerably higher than those for Americans of Japanese ancestry or Americans of European ancestry tested in Hawaii. This greater parent-offspring resemblance in Korea may be due to the particular method of test administration or to an increased genetic variance resulting from assortative mating. The pattern of parent-child correlations for three relatively pure tests of spatial ability and for the spatial factor did not conform to that of a sex-linked recessive character.
40 citations
TL;DR: Homozygous second chromosome lines were extracted from a natural population of Drosophila melanogaster and tested for their olfactory responses to ethyl acetate, and a large part of this odorant-specific variation seemed to be controlled by genes located on the right arm of the second chromosome.
Abstract: Homozygous second chromosome lines were extracted from a natural population ofDrosophila melanogaster and tested for their olfactory responses to ethyl acetate. The chromosome lines were highly heterogeneous for this behavior, and the variability was also specific to other esters and ketones such as ethyl propionate, 2-butanone, 2-pentanone, and 3-pentanone. The responses to these odorants negatively correlated with the response to another odorant, lactic acid. A large part of this odorant-specific variation seemed to be controlled by genes located on the right arm of the second chromosome.
39 citations
TL;DR: An analysis of male and female score distributions provided results more favorable to the X-linkage hypothesis, at least for the child generation, although suggesting that X linkage does not explain the whole male-female difference in performance on spatial tasks.
Abstract: Members of 192 families in the Tel Aviv area were given a battery of eight cognitive tests focusing on spatial measures but sampling verbal, numerical, and perceptual speed domains as well. The patterns of parent-child and sibling correlations gave very weak evidence, if any, for the operation of the X-linked recessive gene postulated by Stafford and others to affect performance on tasks involving spatial visualization. An analysis of male and female score distributions provided results more favorable to the X-linkage hypothesis, at least for the child generation, although suggesting that X linkage does not explain the whole male-female difference in performance on spatial tasks.
TL;DR: The pattern of intraclass correlations obtained suggests that handedness discordance may be associated with greater differences in ear asymmetry within MZ pairs than within DZ pairs, possibly reflecting differences in the etiology of discordance for handedness in the two groups.
Abstract: The present study examined the relationship between dichotic listening performance and handedness in twins. The 53 monozygotic (MZ) and 35 dizygotic (DZ) pairs concordant for right-handedness displayed ear asymmetries and total correct scores comparable to those found in right-handed singletons. The left- and right-handed members of the 19 MZ and 8 DZ pairs discordant for handedness were also similar to left- and right-handed singletons, respectively, with regard to ear asymmetry and overall performance. These data demonstrate that the relationship between handedness and brain organization observed in both MZ and DZ twins is similar to that found in the singleton population. The pattern of intraclass correlations obtained suggests that handedness discordance may be associated with greater differences in ear asymmetry within MZ pairs than within DZ pairs, possibly reflecting differences in the etiology of discordance for handedness in the two groups. In contrast, MZ cotwins were more similar than DZ cotwins, regardless of handedness, when total correct performance was measured.
TL;DR: A study of 30 families located through a proband with Alzheimer disease discovered highly significant excesses of Down syndrome and immunocytic cancer, suggesting a genetic disorder of immune function mediated by microtubules and microfilaments.
Abstract: A study of 30 families located through a proband with Alzheimer disease discovered highly significant excesses of Down syndrome and immunocytic cancer. A genetic disorder of immune function mediated by microtubules and microfilaments is suggested by the data. The pedigrees of the Alzheimer families are presented.
TL;DR: It is essential to relate results from laboratory studies to natural environments in order to explore the genetics of habitat selection, and evolutionary strategies involved in habitat selection are considered at various taxonomic levels in Drosophila.
Abstract: There is an association among resource utilization divergence, habitat selection, and taxonomic divergence in the genusDrosophila. Given permissive conditions of temperature, humidity, and light intensity, an enormous variety of resources is used in a diversity of habitats. These resources are considered in the cosmopolitan and endemic Australian fauna, providing evidence for habitat selection in the laboratory and field. Lek behavior in picture-winged species of subgenusHirtodrosophila, a case of parallel evolution with lek behavior in subgenusDrosophila in Hawaii, is discussed in detail. Other examples of habitat selection discussed concern behavioral reactions of larvae to alcohol and other metabolites and the avoidance by adults of extreme physical environments. Evolutionary strategies involved in habitat selection are considered at various taxonomic levels inDrosophila. These considerations show that it is essential to relate results from laboratory studies to natural environments in order to explore the genetics of habitat selection.
TL;DR: The results are in conformity with the hypothesis that a female samples males and their courtship cues, thus becoming habituated to the majority of the first courting male, but she accepts a male with a cue different from that which she originally detected but avoided.
Abstract: Alleles at the brown locus ofDrosophila melanogaster combined with homozygous scarlet provide a useful model to demonstrate minority advantage of males in mating. Heterozygotes with orange (O) eyes equal in numbers to homozygotes with red (R) eyes (10∶10 in both sexes) displayed no bias favoring either eye color, but each eye color was favored when males occurred in a minority ratio (2∶18). In direct observation of single females with equal numbers of males (3∶3) as controls,O males courted less and more slowly thanR males, but females mated with either type without bias. When unequal (4∶1), the minority males were successful at more than twice the frequency expected. Whether successful or not, the minority males did not change their level of courtship, and thus cannot be said to compensate for their frequency in any way. The time between first courtship and mating was less for the minority males than for the majority males. We discard the hypothesis that the minority male will be accepted immediately or ahead of a majority male, because the opposite tended to occur: that if a minority male courted first he was less likely to be successful than if he waited until the majority courted. Our results then are in conformity with the hypothesis that a female samples males and their courtship cues, thus becoming habituated to the majority of the first courting male, but she accepts a male with a cue different from that which she originally detected but avoided. That male is most often the minority.
TL;DR: It is argued, therefore, that the family aggregation findings in Tourette syndrome do not support the hypothesis that the condition has a significant genetic component.
Abstract: Observations suggesting a genetic basis for Gilles de la Tourette syndrome are reviewed with particular emphasis on the finding of familial aggregation. Studies of both Tourette syndrome and simple tic have found that approximately 30% of patients have a positive family history of tic. The significance of this figure depends on a number of factors, in particular the prevalence of positive tic histories in the population. If the latter figure is 10%, which the best available evidence suggests is a reasonable estimate, approximately 30% of families in the general population would be expected to contain at least one present or former tiquer. It is argued, therefore, that the family aggregation findings in Tourette syndrome do not support the hypothesis that the condition has a significant genetic component. Methodological considerations for future research are discussed.
TL;DR: The inheritance of brain and body weights was analyzed via the diallel cross and results indicated some conjoint and some separate genetic influences onbrain and body weight.
Abstract: The inheritance of brain and body weights was analyzed via the diallel cross. Results indicated some conjoint and some separate genetic influences on brain and body weight. The results are discussed with respect to Darwinian fitness.
TL;DR: C57BL/Uae mice are unique among investigated C57BL lines in not showing a high preference for alcohol, which could be useful in investigating commonalities of alcohol and morphine effects.
Abstract: C57BL/Uae inbred mice are similar to C57BL/6J and C57BL/10J mice in displaying a high preference for morphine presented in a saccharin vehicle. C57BL/Uae mice are unique among investigated C57BL lines in not showing a high preference for alcohol. This pattern of differences among closely related inbred strains could be useful in investigating commonalities of alcohol and morphine effects.
TL;DR: Methods are presented for the detection of major gene effects on continuous phenotypes, using recombinant inbred strains of mice and related congenic lines, and considerations of analysis and limitations on the utility of these genetic resources are discussed.
Abstract: Methods are presented for the detection of major gene effects on continuous phenotypes, using recombinant inbred strains of mice and related congenic lines. Considerations of analysis and limitations on the utility of these genetic resources are discussed.
TL;DR: Under both living conditions and in breeding cages, contrary to what was found by previous investigations, BALB/c mice showed a higher level of activity than C57BL/6 mice.
Abstract: Continuous measurements of locomotor activity of male mice of inbred strains BALB/c and C57BL/6 were made over 3-day periods, either in seminatural conditions or in breeding cages. Under both living conditions, contrary to what was found by previous investigations, BALB/c mice showed a higher level of activity than C57BL/6 mice. In seminatural conditions, BALB/c mice concentrated more of their locomotor activity in the dark than did C57BL/6 mice. In breeding cages, mice of both strains showed the same daily distribution of activity.
TL;DR: Data collected by university students on their family members showed intrafamilial correlations and heritability estimates for spatial ability similar in magnitude to those reported in three larger samples in Hawaii and Korea.
Abstract: Data collected by university students on their family members showed intrafamilial correlations and heritability estimates for spatial ability similar in magnitude to those reported in three larger samples in Hawaii and Korea.
TL;DR: Investigation of other behavioral and structural changes indicated that courtship duration, locomotor activity, and aristal morphology also showed differences between the selected strains.
Abstract: Positive and negative geotactic behavior has been selected in strains ofDrosophila melanogaster for over 50 generations on multiple-unit classification mazes. Mating speed experiments showed that the selected and unselected strains differed greatly from each other. The geopositive flies mated more rapidly than the control flies, and the geonegative flies mated more slowly than the control flies. The females were shown to be chiefly responsible for the observed differences in mating speed. Investigation of other behavioral and structural changes indicated that courtship duration, locomotor activity, and aristal morphology also showed differences between the selected strains.
TL;DR: The genetics of the digging behavior of Drosophila melanogaster larvae was studied through selective breeding, and digging behavior appears to be under polygenic control.
Abstract: The genetics of the digging behavior of Drosophila melanogaster larvae was studied through selective breeding. Selection for low digging activity was successful, but selection for high digging activity was not. Selection for low and high digging activity affected another behavior, namely the choice of a pupation site. Digging behavior appears to be under polygenic control.
Abstract: Positive and negative geotactic maze behaviors were selected in strains of Drosophila melanogaster, for over 40 generations on 15-unit classification mazes. A chromosome substition analysis of these behaviors was undertaken to determine which of the three major chromosomes is most important in causing the differences in geotactic maze behavior between the divergent strains. By following the appropriate mating scheme, every possible homozygous chromosomal combination of the X, II, and III chromosomes from the geopositive and geonegative strain was produced. Heterozygous combinations were also produced to test for dominance and interchromosomal interactions. The results indicate that all three chromosomes are involved in geotactic behavior. The order of importance was II>III>X. Dominance effects were found in females for the X chromosome from the geopositive strain and for the III chromosome from the geonegative strain. No evidence for interchromosomal interactions was uncovered.
TL;DR: Reversed selection showed that additive genetic variance remains in the high lines, and genetic and phenotypic relationships between C NCM and body weight were small but positive, while those between CNCM and relative aggressiveness were positive and intermediate.
Abstract: Reported is a genetic analysis of mating behavior in male Japanese quail. Data were obtained from replicated experiments involving 12 generations of divergent selection for high and low cumulative number of completed matings (CNCM). No trait measured in the randombred control population changed significantly over time. Asymmetrical responses between the divergent lines were observed during various phases of selection. Reversed selection showed that additive genetic variance remains in the high lines. Small and unimportant were drift and error variances. Genetic and phenotypic relationships between CNCM and body weight were small but positive, while those between CNCM and relative aggressiveness were positive and intermediate. Also positive and intermediate were the correlations between CNCM and cloacal gland size.
TL;DR: In this article, evidence for an inherited component in the determination of the preferred eye in sighting dominance is presented that replicates the earlier findings by Merrell (1957), and significantly more left-sighting-preferent individuals were found in the progeny of R×L and L×L matings than in the R×R matings.
Abstract: Evidence for an inherited component in the determination of the preferred eye in sighting dominance is presented that replicates the earlier findings by Merrell (1957). Significantly more left-sighting-preferent individuals were found in the progeny of R×L and L×L matings than in the R×R matings.
TL;DR: It is concluded that sex chromosome heterochromatin must play a role in the development of specific cognitive traits in aneuploid males and females.
Abstract: Three groups of male and female subjects (aneuploid, sterile, and fertile) were administered tests of field dependence (RFT, EFT, BDT, ABCT), spatial ability (S1, VZ1, IBT), right-left discrimination, and verbal ability. Statistical analyses indicated that (1) aneuploid males, with karyotype 47,XXY, do not disclose significant differences in field dependence or spatial abilities from karyotypically normal males or females, (2) aneuploid Turner and Turner-like females do exhibit a significantly higher field dependence and lower spatial orientation and visualization ability than other females, and (3) psychological distress caused by sterility does not seem to influence the cognitive pattern. The importance of socializing environment and hormonal factors in determining the observed differences is briefly discussed in the light of these results, and it is concluded that sex chromosome heterochromatin must play a role in the development of specific cognitive traits.
TL;DR: Although the regression of offspring on midparent value is not a mathematical function of the spouse correlation, an empirical association between these two measures of familial resemblance is expected for characters with nonzero heritability.
Abstract: Differences in age and number of children tested per family between two ethnic groups (Americans of Japanese ancestry and Americans of European ancestry) have a trivial effect on differences in regressions of midchild on midparent for tests of specific cognitive abilities. Although the regression of offspring on midparent value is not a mathematical function of the spouse correlation, an empirical association between these two measures of familial resemblance is expected for characters with nonzero heritability. Such an association is reported for anthropometric characters. Since age effects contribute to the covariance of family members, age correction of family cognitive data is essential.