29 Chapter 1 Learning About Children
the person will have. Genes carry the
inborn instructions that help make
you who you are, 1-5.
Genetics is the study of the
factors involved in the passing of
traits from one generation of living
beings to the next. In short, genetics
is the study of heredity. Geneticists
(biologists who study heredity)
continue to make strides in learning
which traits pass from parents to
child. Almost every physical, mental,
and social-emotional trait is affected
by genes. Thus, genes infl uence
your growth and development in
many ways. The following points are
known about heredity:
The genes’ instructions are
lifelong. They carry the same
message throughout life. For
instance, the genes for eye color
remain the same for life.
Genes affect some parts of
growth and development more
than others. For instance, genes
determine body features such
as blood type, facial structure,
and color of hair, eyes, and skin.
Other traits, such as mental
ability and social-emotional
traits, are affected by both genes
and the environment.
Some genes determine whether
a person will have a trait. For
example, a person either is or
is not an albino. (An albino is a
person with white skin, almost
white hair, and pink eyes.) This
is determined by genes.
1-5
Brothers and sisters may look alike in many ways
because they both inherit genes from their parents.