How Can Our Genetic Makeup Affect Our Personality And Behavior?

Ask an Expert: Is Human Behavior Genetic or Learned?

When yous have a question, information technology's always best to plough to a subject matter expert for answers. In our web log series, Enquire An Expert, National Academy staff and faculty members take turns answering challenging questions in their areas of expertise. This time we ask psychology professor, Dr. Brenda Shook, "Is human beliefs genetic or learned?"

Nature vs. nurture. It's an age-sometime argue: Practise we inherit our behaviors, or practise we learn them? Are our habits hereditary, or did nosotros selection them up along the mode?

If you were to enquire Dr. Brenda Shook, psychology professor and academic program managing director at National Academy, "Is human behavior genetic or learned?" she'd answer: "That's the wrong question to inquire."

Shook says the question nosotros should be request is, "To what extent is a particular behavior genetic or learned?"

So, Is Human Behavior Genetic Or Learned ? It'south Complicated.

It'south pretty articulate that concrete traits like the color of our eyes are inherited, but beliefs is more complicated. Shook says, "It's a complex interaction between genetics and environment."

Shook uses singing every bit an instance. Someone could be an excellent vocaliser, but is that talent genetic or what it learned? "It'south both," she says. Maybe this person doesn't necessarily have a skilful singing voice, but her encephalon is wired to be able to learn and call back. So her genetics might take fabricated vocalisation lessons more constructive.

Diving a piddling deeper into the biological realm, she explains that we don't inherit behavior or personality, just rather nosotros inherit genes. And these genes contain data that produces proteins — which can form in many combinations, all affecting our behavior. Fifty-fifty with this Deoxyribonucleic acid, Shook says of the upshot, "… and it yet could depend on the surroundings: what volition plough on and off a gene?"

Shook said there's a growing interest in how, when, and why some genes activate, and some don't. She refers to this surface area of inquiry equally epigenetics.

What is Epigenetics?

What is Epigenetics? The American Psychological Clan defines epigenetics as the report of how variation in inherited traits can originate through ways other than variations in DNA. Psychology Today contributor Darcia F. Narvaez puts it into simpler terms: "In other words, the lived feel of an individual tin can influence their gene behavior."

Epigenetics involves looking at the "epigenome," which scientists describe as a layer of "chemical tags" wrapped effectually our protein-covered Deoxyribonucleic acid. The epigenome "marks" can influence the concrete structure of the genome, which in turn can dictate which genes are active or inactive. While our DNA lawmaking doesn't change, the epigenome tin. Specific "tags" tin react to outside influences, which can accommodate how the trunk reads that cistron.

Shook says one of the most compelling reasons for studying epigenetics is cancer research. With a greater agreement of the epigenome, could we one mean solar day modify genes to prevent disease? This possibility is stirring excitement in the medical customs; however, it has also brought up upstanding concerns. Still, epigenetics is probably the almost relevant places to which we can look for answers to questions like: "Is homo beliefs genetic or learned?"

(If you're fascinated past this topic, yous might also similar our article, "Tin man behavior be studied scientifically?"

Why Report Human being Behavior?

Some people take their curiosity about human behavior in a more than scientific direction, such equally a career in academic, scientific, or medical research. Typically, though, people are interested in the study of human beliefs as information technology pertains to everyday life. Graduate online caste programs in this subject area entreatment to people in a wide range of professions and positions, from sales managers and marketing analysts to homo resource directors and law enforcement officers. An understanding of human being behavior is benign in the workplace in many means. Not but tin it assistance people perform their electric current duties better, merely also information technology could assistance someone advance into a management or supervisory office.

Studies in human behavior, such as in National's Master of Arts in Human Behavior Psychology will cover topics such as:

Stages of developed development.
Theories of behavior change.
Personal growth and advice.
Bug in sexuality.
Personal and professional person ethics.
Behavioral research.

While human behavior studies are often associated with psychology, other fields likewise explore the human status: sociology, anthropology, advice, and criminology. Some main'due south programs, such every bit National's, permit yous to have electives in these areas. The study of human behavior at the graduate level tin also serve as a foundation for related Ph.D. programs.

While non everyone who studies human behavior goes to the molecular level, the research will go on to inform the field. And there's a lot more to discover.

"Just when we starting time to figure something out, something else comes along," Shook says.

Perhaps not having a solid answer to "Is human being behavior genetic or learned?" is what makes the field then enticing.

If you — or your current or desired career — could benefit from a broader understanding of what makes people who they are, explore National's online degree program in human behavior on our plan page.

Nigh our Expert: Dr. Brenda Shook is an associate professor and academic director for the bachelor of arts in psychology program at National University. She has a master's degree in psychology, with a specialization in psychophysics, from California State Academy, Stanislaus. Shook earned a Ph.D. in psychology, with a specialization in biological psychology and neuroscience, from Brandeis University, and so completed six years of postdoctoral training: two years at UC Davis and four years at UCLA. At UC Davis, she studied prenatal brain development, and at UCLA'south medical school she studied postnatal brain evolution, brain plasticity, and neurophysiology.

Prior to joining the faculty at National, Shook taught at Mount Saint Mary'due south Higher, where she also served as chair of the department of psychology.