Web Destinations
    for Psychology

... research resources for Psychology students

Behavior Genetics

Genetic Principle of Heredity"
Using dairy cows as an example, this paper discusses the concept of heritability. By EDIS.

The Nature/Nurture Controversy"
Starting with trivially true examples, this paper makes some nice conceptual points. By Frank Fujita.

Recent Developments in Human Behavioral Genetics: Past Accomplishments and Future Directions"
This article in the American Journal of Human Genetics summarizes the current state of the field. By Stephanie L. Sherman et al.

Where Is the Child's Environment? A Group Socialization Theory of Development"
Widely covered in the popular press, this Psychological Review article discusses the finding of behavior geneticists that shared environment (e.g., parents' behavior toward their children) has very little impact on adult personality. By Judith Rich Harris.

Behavior Genetics Association
This organization's website contains useful links.

Electronic Genetics Newsletter
This website contains pages on many topics in human genetics. By Shelly Cummings.

Genes and Behavior
A part of Serendip, this website links to several pages on human behavior genetics. By Paul Grobstein (and others).

Introduction to Genetic Analysis
The National Library of Medicine has made available this free on-line textbook, which provides a thorough introduction to the field of genetics. See especially the chapter on Quantitative Genetics. By Anthony J. F. Griffiths, Jeffrey H. Miller, David T. Suzuki, Richard C. Lewontin, and William M. Gilbart.

Minnesota Twin Family Study
This website describes studies that use the Minnesota Twin Registry.

Modern Genetic Analysis
This is another on-line genetics textbook from the National Library of Medicine. By Anthony J. F. Griffiths, William M. Gelbart, Jeffrey H. Miller, and Richard C. Lewontin.

The Nurture Assumption
This website lists every commentary on the book by Judith Rich Harris--favorable, unfavorable, or mixed--with links to those available online. By Charles S. Harris.

Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man
This database contains detailed information on human genetics and genetic disorders, with many links. By Victor A. McKusick.

Behaviorism

B. F. Skinner"
This paper is an introduction to Skinner's theory. By C. George Boeree.

Behaviorism: Skinner and Dennett"
This paper discusses Skinner's attack on mentalism, the appeal to inner psychological phenomena. By Curtis Brown.

Behaviourism: The Early Years"
This paper is a scholarly introduction to behaviorism. By Robert Wozniak.

Comparing Brelands' Theory of Instictive Drift to Seligman's Theory of Preparedness"
This paper discusses two approaches to the biological basis of learning. By Sarah Feldstein.

Learning Theory"
This paper distinguishes behavior analysis, radical behaviorism, mentalism, and methodological behaviorism. By Jay Moore.

Walden 'U'"
Read about a behaviorally based liberal arts college with striking similarities to on-line courses of instruction. By Bruce A. Thyer.

Classics in the History of Psychology
This website links to classic works on behaviorism by major theorists. By Christopher D. Green.

Features of Classical Conditioning
This explication of classical conditioning contains useful graphs. Reconstructed from a lecture by Robert W. Kentridge.

Operant Conditioning and Behaviorism: An Historical Outline
This is a discussion of the emergence of behaviorism. Reconstructed from a lecture by Robert W. Kentridge.

Positive Reinforcement: A Self-Instructional Exercise
This exercise makes a game of learning about positive reinforcement by positively reinforcing right answers. By Lyle K. Grant.

Psychology with Sociology: Memory Module
This tutorial features classical, operant, and observational learning. By the Center for Advanced Technologies.

Public Broadcasting System
This website introduces the following learning theories: (1) Pavlov, (2) Skinner, (3) Watson.

Guthrie, (2) Hull, (3) Skinner, (4) Thorndike, (5) Tolman. By Greg Kearsley.

Welcome to the Behaviorist's Diner!
This website contains brief discussions of the educational uses of behaviorism. By Jim Laffey.

Behaviorism
This entry in the MIT Encyclopedia of Cognitive Sciences is written by a leading expert. By Edward Wasserman.

B. F. Skinner's Complete Bibliography
This list of references includes a graph of Skinner's cumulative publication record. By the B. F. Skinner Foundation.