Genetics and Behavior

Learning Outcomes:

With reference to relevant research

studies, To what extent does genetic
inheritance influence behavior?

Discuss ethical considerations in research

into genetic influences on behavior
 Basic Stats
93% to monkeys

97.5% mice

99% Chimpanze

99.9%similar DNA to all other humans

25,000-30,000 genes that make up DNA

Human Genome Project13 years to map the genes

but the role of most in behavior is unknown
 Principle 2 of the BLA

Behavior can be
inherited
 Nature vs. Nurture
Is it 1 or the other?
Used to be unclearremember MONEY?
Most now say behavior is a mix of both
Diathesis-stress model
But some behaviors still controversial
Homosexualityis it linked to genetics? Is it
a choice? Is it brought on by environment?

Therefore: TO WHAT EXTENT

 Listen and discuss
The Case of the Two Jims

In your opinion--is this evidence or

coincidence?
 How do we research the role of
genetics?
Twin Studies
Adoption Studies
Family Studies
Prospective Studies/Linkage Studies

Key ideas:
Concordance Ratethe likelihood that if 1 twin
has a trait, the other twin will have the same
If a trait has high genetic heritability, the
concordance rate should also be high
 Twin Studies
Comparing Monozygotic
twins (MZ) with
Dyzygotic twins (DZ).
Since MZ twins have
identical DNA, there
should be a higher
concordance rate.

Comparing MZ twins
reared together vs. MZ
twins reared apart. Why
might this be better than
the first technique?
Drag picture to placeholder or click icon
to add

STRENGTHS OF TWIN STUDIES

High cross cultural reliability of concordance levels

Replicated, often on large scale
 Limitations OF TWIN
STUDIES
MZ twins are rarely
separated at birth and raised
in a totally different
environment, yet this is
really necessary to
substantiate claims.

MZ twins reared together

share many of the same
experiences.

DZ twins reared together

may not share the same
experiences due to levels of
attractiveness or
temperament.
 ADOPTION STUDIES
Adoption studies tend to
compare the adopted
child with the biological
mother and the adoptive
mother to determine
which has the higher
concordance rate for a
given behavior.

Why might adoption

studies at times be
preferable to twin
studies?
 STRENGTHS OF Adoption STUDIES
Adoption studies allow
researchers to isolate
variables. If a biological
mother has no contact
since birth and still
matches for a specific trait
- for example, the adopted
childs IQ is better than the
adoptive mother and in
concordance with the birth
mother - this is strong
evidence that genes play a
significant role in the
development of this trait.
Limitations OF Adoption STUDIES
Selective placement is a
problem. Babies tend to
placed with families
similar in background to
the natural parents.
Adopted children as
well as twins - are not
representative of all
children.
The act of being given
up for adoption may
affect the childs
behaviour.
 Prospective Studies
Prospective studies identify
traits that are considered to be
inherited. Those who are
considered genetically
vulnerable are then followed
over many years to see if they
actually manifest the behavior.
This is used, for example, in
the study of schizophrenia.

There is an ethical concern in

such research that it may
cause undue stress and lead to
negative effects in those who
are labeled as vulnerable.
 Genetics and Intelligence
Whats intelligence? How can it be
measured?

At your table, discuss and come up

with a definition?
 Possible ideas?
G-factor? Correlate across subjects

Multiple Intelligences? Visual, verbal,

spatial, logical, musical etc.

IQ tests? Find one and try it! What

does it measure?
 Discuss

Do you think that Intelligence
changes over time? Why? What
factors could make it change? How
does parents/environment influence
intelligence?
 Research on Intelligence
Bouchard & McGue 1981
meta-analysis of 111 studies on IQ
correlation between siblings

Findings: closer the kinship, the

higher the correlation for IQ

Genetic link!
 Bouchard Et Al, 1990
Minnesota Twin Study

1979, still research happening

Aim: to investigate the role of genetics in

intelligence

Method:
Compare MZA and MZT
50 hours of testing/interviews
Compared IQ rates
 Bouchard et al cont

Results: Concordance Rates of

Intelligence
Same person tested twice = 87%
Identical twins, reared together = 86%
Identical twins reared apart = 76%
Fraternal twins reared together = 55%
Biological siblings reared together = 47%
 Bouchard et al, 1990 (Minnesota
Twin Study)
Conclusion: 70% of intelligence can be attributed
to genetic inheritance

Strengths:
Cross cultural, Big size, over many years, average

age 41

Limits:
Sample issuesrelied on media to recruit, twins

could have had contact before, MZTnot

necessarily same environment (equal environment
assumption)
 Other views? More nurture oriented
Scarr & Weinberg (1977) and Horn et al
(1979)
Focused on parents who had raised both adopted and
natural children
Any significant different between parent-child IQ
correlations for adopted and natural children should be
attributable to genes
Researchers found no significant difference in IQ correlation
Notes:
Almost all families in the studies: the adoptive parents
were weatlthy, white,and middle class with high IQ
Adopted children were from poor, lower-class
backgrounds, with lower IQ parents
 WAHLSTEIN (1997)
Adoption study in France

From low to high SES family

increased childhood IQ scores by 12-
16 points
 Plomin and Petrill 1977
Correlation between parent and child
IQ can change over time
Between age 4-6 = 40% correlation
Early adulthood = 60%
Older adulthood = 80%

Conclusion?
 Other Factors?
The Flynn Effect: Average scores on
intelligence tests have gone up in the
last century--3 points every 10 years.
Why?
 With a partner, discuss
The question is With reference to relevant
research studies, To what extent does genetic
inheritance influence behavior?

How would you outline this for a 22 point essay?

This could be re-worded to have a level 1 or 2

command term and then it could be a SAQ. How
would you answer Apply one research study to
the role of genetic inheritance in behavior.
 Review
5 minute debate:
2 minutes to prepare first
Person A: You have 1 minute to make the argument
that genetics is a determining factor in intelligence.
Use the research and explain it clearly.
Person B: You will have 1 minute to make the
argument that the extent of genetics on intelligence
is minimal. Use the research and explain it clearly.
You will each have 30 seconds to poke holes in your
opponents theory using strengths/limits of the
study, methods, or other research.
 Genetics and Aggression
Discuss at your table:

In your opinion, which of these things is

most responsible for aggressive
behavior?
A gene that influence aggression
A chemical imbalance in the brain
Watching violent tv shows or playing violent
video games
Growing up in a violent home
 What are the implications?
To what extent does genetics influence
aggression? What would you answer?

If genetics helps determine aggression, are

violent criminals fully responsible for their
actions?
If violent environments promote violence,
should governments control content in media
sources for the good of society?
If you had children prone to violence, how
could you/ should you discipline them?
 Ethical Considerations on Genetics
Research
Review with a partner:
What are the ethical considerations?
(Noteuse the proper terminology!)
 Special considerations about
genetics
Knowledge about the role of specific
genes and behavior is limited
Genetic research is often reductionist
in nature so the environmental
factors are overlooked
Genetic research is correlational.
(Experimentscausation but
experiments on people are not
possible)
 Concerns
Misuse/misreporting of genetic data (think NAZIs)
Controversial issueslike Intelligence and

homosexualitycan result in increased

discrimination

Supporting research: Herrnstein and Murray

(1994)
The Bell Curvemedia claims fueled
controversy
 More concerns
Genetic research/screening can
cause distress and have a negative
impact (paternity, adoption)

Supporting Research: Caspi et al.

(2003)
Role of the 5-HTT gene in depression
2 typesnormal and mutated but both
common
Mutated + stress, more likely to become
depressed
 Other concerns
Confidentiality is particularly difficult in
twin studies or family studies
Can also have consequences like employment
difficulties, insurance rates etc.

Right to withdraw is hard to protect

would likely affect confidentiality as well.

Results may be inaccuratetesting

errors cause mental harm for nothing