Heredity
Features of an offspring that result from genes passed on by parents are called inherited characteristics.
Inherited Characteristics
An organism's physical features are called characteristics. Inherited characteristics are determined before birth and cannot be permanently changed. Eye color, hair color, skin color, freckles, and dimples are inherited characteristics of humans.
Learned Characteristics
Learned characteristic are features that result from experience and the influence of the environment. Favorite hobbies, dislikes of certain foods, and speaking a certain language are learned characteristics because they are not inherited. The clothing and hairstyle that people choose to wear are also learned characteristics.
Inherited Behaviors
Some behaviors are inborn. Behaviors of this type are called instincts. Organisms do not have to be taught how to do things that are instincts. Some examples of instincts are breathing, hibernating, and migrating. Instinct also includesreflexes, which are rapid, automatic responses to certain signals or events. Sneezing when your nose is tickled is an example of a reflex. Other examples of inherited behaviors include:
- people and animals crying or howling when in pain
- people and animals eating when hungry
- fish knowing how to swim
- birds knowing how to build nests
Learned Behaviors
Learned behaviors are actions carried out by an animal or human based on experience. For example, eating apples because you like the taste would be a learned behavior that was based on prior experience eating apples. Speaking English is a learned behavior. While most humans are born with some ability to make sounds, people have to learn to speak English, or any other language. Other learned behaviors include:
- skipping
- reading
- having good manners
- having pink as a favorite color
- wearing brightly colored clothes
- riding a bike
**Important Vocabulary**
• characteristics- a trait describing an organism
• genes- contains the trait the organism inherits.
• trait- quality or characteristic belonging to a person
• inherited-Features of an offspring that result from genes passed on by parents
• learned- features that result from experience and the influence of the environment
• genes- contains the trait the organism inherits.
• trait- quality or characteristic belonging to a person
• inherited-Features of an offspring that result from genes passed on by parents
• learned- features that result from experience and the influence of the environment