Centres
Center of excellence for behavioral research in psychology
The field of behavioral genetics in our country has started to develop under the research on the project called “Hereditary, environmental and psychological factors of mental health”, which is conducted by teachers and associates at the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Philosophy in Novi Sad and the Faculty of Medicine in Novi Sad. The center’s focus is on scientific research. The aim of the research in behavioral genetics is to examine the relative contribution of the genetic and environmental factors in the development of the basic personality traits, cognitive abilities, as well as psychopathological patterns of behavior. Monozygotic twins share all of their genetic material , so the differences between them can be attributed to the factors of their environment. On the other hand, dizygotic twins share only a half of their genetic material, but, like monozygotic twins, they grow up in similar environment. By comparing the similarities in the correlations between monozygotic and dizygotic twins, the contribution of the environmental and hereditary factors in the different aspects of adaptation can be determined.
One of the goals of The Center of Behavioral Genetics is to create an institutional framework for upholding the Twin Registry, as the first and only database of twins in the Republic of Serbia. These registries are very valuable for different fields of scientific research in every country which has founded them. The countries in which this discipline is highly developed, the registries are used as intermediaries between the researchers and the participants, i.e. the twins.
The Center represents an organizational unit which serves as the framework for an array of activities – scientific research, as well as professional (nemam ideju kako da prevedem stručno). The Center organizes educational scientific and professional seminars, accredited programs in the field of behavioral genetics for Bachelors in psychology, medical workers and other experts. Besides that, it organizes seminars for psychological support for the families with twins and trains students for independent research work in the field of behavioral genetics. The members of the center establish interdisciplinary academic, professional and scientific collaboration with other institutions with focus on behavioral genetics and other related fields of study, in Serbia and abroad.