Human+Traits+Survey

Population Genetics: Sampling Two Ethnic Population for Continuous and Discontinuous traits.
The purpose of this survey is to collect data on traits that show variation in humans. Discontinuous traits are defined as those traits that show a range of variation in the population. Continuous traits are those traits that are more “either or” and fit in to two (or more) distinct categories. Examples of discontinuous traits include things like height while continuous traits include things like widow’s peak. In this survey, you will sample people who fit into distinct ethnic groups and see if the frequencies of the traits are different for the two groups.

Surveyed Traits:

Discontinuous Trait: Ratio of Index Finger Length/Middle Finger Length mm Measure the length of subject’s fingers from the crease above the palm to the tip of the finger.

Continuous Traits: • Earlobes (Record either Attached or Unattached) • Hand Clasping (Tell subject to clasp their hands together with interlaced fingers. Record whether the Right digits are over Left digits or Left over Right) • Tongue Rolling (Record whether or not the subject can roll their tongue laterally)

Each student samples 5 people from each or two populations (10 total).

Ethnic Asian: These people will identify having at least 3 of their 4 grandparents as ethnic Asians. Ethnic Caucasians: These people will identify having at least 3 of their 4 grandparents as ethnic Caucasians.

Before you begin: Create a Data Table to facilitate easy recording of your results. Obtain a ruler.

1. Explain the purpose of the measurements. 2. Ask whether or not subject has already participated in this survey. Do not continue the survey for subjects who have already participated. 3. Ask subject to describe the ethnicity of their grandparents (Asian or Caucasian). Do not continue the survey for subjects who are not ¾ Asian or Caucasian. 4. Collect the data for the Discontinuous and Continuous traits.

Data compilation and analysis: You must sign-up for a Google account (if you don’t already have one) Follow this [|URL] and add your data to the spreadsheet set up for our survey.

Copy the class data from the spreadsheet into your own document and create a new sheet in the document called “Analysis”. You can then create charts and graphs to represent the data comparing the ethnic Asian population to the Caucasian population.