According to Gottblieb (1992), Genes are part of the developmental system in the same sense as other

components (cell, tissue, organism ), so genes must be susceptible to influence from other levels during
the process of individual development. Contemporary thought in molecular genetics thus rejects the
idea that genes are structures that act on supragenetic levels; instead, these scientists adopt the
dynamic, developmental systems view. This view emphasizes the integration— or fusion— of genes with
the other levels of organization that comprise the person and his or her context. In such dynamic
systems, the specific features of the interactions of the processes associated with these multiple levels
create both the individuality of behavior at any point in time and the integrated character of human
functioning that gives behavior its generality and cross-time predictability.

behavior genetics is a viewpoint with a conceptually flawed and empirically deficient view of
developmental process and, as well, involves the conflation of description and explanation. For instance,
in regard to process, the structural account of genetic action behavior genetics offer suffers from the
flaws of alI structural accounts of development; that is, such conceptions are inherently incomplete.
These views do not explain individual behavioral performance (actions), other than to express
empirically unsubstantiated confidence that in some way genetic structures translate— through the
levels of cells, tissues, organs, the individual, and his or her actual context— into real-time actions.

According to Rowe (1994), Genes can produce dispositions, tendencies, and inclinations, because people
with subtly different nervous systems are differently motivated and given enough environmental
opportunities |for selection of environments], the ones chosen are those most reinforcing for a
particular nervous system created by a particular genotype ... the direction of the growth curve of
development, and the limit ultimately attained, is set in the genes. However, because behavior
geneticists believe that genetic structure transcends and is independent of real-time actions, an
adequate, empirically verifiable account of actual individual-in-context behavior is beyond theoretical
range (Smith & Thelen, 1993). Moreover, because of the inability to explain individual performance of
actual individual-in-context behavior, behavior genetics, like other structural theories, cannot explain
the global order of behavior of development change itself (Smith & Thelen, 1993). The cause of the
distribution of interindividual differences in a trait distribution is merely an abstract description of the
trait distribution itself: Behavior genetics describes the variability in a distribution, labels it with a fancy
source term (i.e., heritability), and then imputes that there is a gene, or set of genes, that explains the
distribution (Smith & Thelen, 1993). Thus, ultimately, Plomin (2000) admits that a probabilistic, nature-
nurture relation is involved in accounting for the role of genes in behavioral development.

*Rowe (1994) says that genes can cause dispositions, tendencies, and inclinations. This is because
people with slightly different nervous systems are motivated in different ways, and when given enough
opportunities for selection of environments, the ones chosen are the ones that are most reinforcing for
a particular nervous system made by a particular genotype. The direction of the growth curve of
development and the limit that is eventually reached are set in the genes. However, because behavior
geneticists believe that genetic structure transcends and is independent of real-time actions, an
adequate, empirically verifiable account of actual individual-in-context behavior is beyond theoretical
range. Behavior genetics, like other structural theories, can't explain the global order of behavior change
because it can't explain how an individual behaves when they are in their own environment. The cause
of the distribution of interindividual differences in a trait distribution is merely an abstract description of
the trait distribution itself: Behavior genetics describes the differences in a distribution, calls them
"sources" with fancy words like "heritability," and then assumes that there is a gene or set of genes that
explains the distribution. So, in the end, Plomin (2000) admits that the role of genes in behavior
development is based on a probabilistic nature-nurture relationship.

The primary and perhaps most misunderstood concept in behavioral genetics is that of heritability— the
proportion of variance in a given trait, within a particular sample, that can be attributed to genetic
influences (Gabbay, 1992). Heritability estimates apply to genetic and environmental variation within a
group or sample; they cannot and should not be used to explain between-group differences. Even if a
trait has high heritability in two different groups, this does not indicate that between-group differences
in the trait are genetic in origin (Coll, et.al, 2003). Heritability estimates only yield information about the
current variance within the sample; they may change if new genetic variance (individuals with differing
genotypes) or new environmental variance (interventions or other influences) are introduced (Coll,
et.al., 2003). Heritability only estimates actualized genetic potential under the given environmental
conditions; nonactualized genetic potential, which might be expressed under different conditions, is not
measured or considered (Bronfenbrenner and Ceci, 1994). However, heritability is often misrepresented
as a static, unalterable entity (e.g., Herrnstein & Murray, 1994).

*The most important and possibly most misunderstood idea in behavioral genetics is that of heritability,
which is the amount of variation in a trait that can be attributed to genetic influences in a given sample.
Estimates of heritability only work for genetic and environmental differences within a group or sample.
They can't or shouldn't be used to explain differences between groups. Even if a trait is highly inherited
in two different groups, this doesn't mean that differences in the trait between groups are caused by
genes. Estimates of heritability only give information about the current variance in the sample. They can
change if new genetic variance (people with different genotypes) or new environmental variance
(interventions or other influences) are added. heritability only measures actualized genetic potential
under the given environmental conditions. Nonactualized genetic potential, which could be expressed
under different conditions, is not measured or taken into account. But heritability is often
misrepresented as something fixed and unchangeable. In genetic effects, the child's environment is
affected by the genes of his or her parents, peers, and other important people.