This is another good article (from Wired
in this case) for my genetics students to read and contemplate. At it’s
core is the question of the role of genetics in personality. The
comments after the article range from trivial to quite insightful. The
reason this type of question is always difficult is because we’re
talking about a situation where the “correct” answer is yes and no, or
more precisely yes, but the degree to which genetics plays a role
varies from trait to trait.
I’ll put in my own two cents worth here, but go read the article and think about this for yourself. Everything about us as we exist in this physical world is impacted by both our genetics and our environment. As physical beings made from “parts” that interact in extremely complicated ways, we are by default constrained by our genetics because genetics is the parts list, and at this point we can’t change the parts we’ve been dealt. However, one’s genetics merely defines the range of possible outcomes. The actual manifestation of who each of us becomes is then influenced by myriad environmental factors. Different traits inherently will have a more narrow range of possible outcomes if genetics plays a major role (the genetic component is easier to define for these) or a broader range of possibilities if the environmental factors play a larger role.
I’ll put in my own two cents worth here, but go read the article and think about this for yourself. Everything about us as we exist in this physical world is impacted by both our genetics and our environment. As physical beings made from “parts” that interact in extremely complicated ways, we are by default constrained by our genetics because genetics is the parts list, and at this point we can’t change the parts we’ve been dealt. However, one’s genetics merely defines the range of possible outcomes. The actual manifestation of who each of us becomes is then influenced by myriad environmental factors. Different traits inherently will have a more narrow range of possible outcomes if genetics plays a major role (the genetic component is easier to define for these) or a broader range of possibilities if the environmental factors play a larger role.
It is so overwhelmingly complicated how every little environmental action can mold us as beings. This is especially true when we are young and have greater plasticity for making (and setting ourselves up for keeping) connections in certain neuron populations.
ReplyDeleteHere is something to think about... the serial Killer Rose West (active in the seventies and eighties, now imprisoned in the UK) was growing inside her mother while her mother was undergoing electric shock therapy for a type of "second hand" psychosis from her husband (where one partner takes on the traits of a more psychotic partner). When Rose was born, she was already acting a bit weird and a bit slow. Rose, like many other serial killers, was abused by one parent and extremely sheltered by another. Was the electric shock therapy she received as a fetus enough to create a killer or was it the combination of bad parenting and the electric shock therapy?
She is really crazy... she started killing at the age of 17 and didn't stop until she was 33 and had even killed 2 of her own children. As a serial killer, she is a novelty in that she is female, killed 10 people, started when she was in her teens, and is a mother. So what drove her to kill so many times under such circumstances?
It would be interesting to one day be able to point on a time line and conclude that "this event was what shaped this trait". I don't think this day is on the horizon but it is still cool to think about.