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Genetics
DNA
Reviewed by Psychology Today Staff
Genetics is the study of genes and the variation of characteristics that are influenced by genes — including physical and psychological factors. All human traits, from height to fear of heights, are driven by a complex interplay between the expression of inherited genes and feedback from the environment.
Scientists are tasked with a massive but increasingly plausible mission: mapping the pathway from one’s genes to the person one sees in the mirror. What they learn about the power of genes has implications for understanding mental illness and psychological differences between individuals, as well as the psychological effects of non-genetic factors.
Contents
Why Genes Matter in Psychology
Genes help to define who an individual is inside and out. While non-genetic factors have a role to play, too, what scientists have learned about these influences can clash with common wisdom. A characteristic or behavior that appears to result from a child’s upbringing — such as proneness to mental illness or divorce — may be largely a product of the genes she inherited from her parents. Research investigating the influence of the family environment suggests that it accounts for a surprisingly small amount of the difference between people on characteristics that scientists measure.
