Professional Documents
Culture Documents
1.1 Does The Cultural Environment Influence Lifespan Development More Than Our Genes?
1.1 Does The Cultural Environment Influence Lifespan Development More Than Our Genes?
1.1 Does The Cultural Environment Influence Lifespan Development More Than Our Genes?
1#Does#the#Cultural#Environment#Influence#Lifespan
Development#More#Than#Our#Genes?
Wednesday,% September% 2,%2015
Issue% Summary
Yes:
Many%believe%that%emotions%are%biologically% hardwired;%however,%researchers%compared%
facial%expressions%of%emotions%of%individuals%from%Western%and%Eastern%cultures,%finding%
differences%that%highlight%the%influence%of%culture%on%how%we%represent%emotions.
No:
Research%clearly%demonstrates%how%a%relatively%small%number%of%genes%influence%our%
environmental%learning%by%"cascading"%(genes%interact%in%various%patterns%that%account%for%
massive%number%of%developmental%outcomes)%to%determine%the%paths%of%our%behavioural%
development.
Introduction
Mendel's%theory%of%dominant%and%recessive%genes%determines%physical%
characteristics%such%as%eye%colour,%dimples,%and%tongueHcurling%ability,%but%does%not%
account%for%personality%traits%such%as%shyness%or%aggression
Epigenetics:
Examines%how%gene%expression%is%varied%by%other%DNA%activities
Looks%at%traits%not%caused%by%changes%in%DNA%sequence
Study%of%stable,%longHterm%alterations%which%may%or%may%not%be%heritable
Used%to%describe%development%as%result%of%ongoing%interaction%between%genes%
and%environment
Definition%of%"nurture"%is%unclear
Role%of%parents,%peers,%teachers,%and%coaches
Individual's%nationality,%race,%social%economic%status,%family,%college% or%
university,%or%religious%affiliation
Six%basic%emotions%are%expressed%using%same%facial%expression%across%all%cultures
Happiness,%surprise,%fear,%disgust,%anger,%sadness
East%Asians%represent%emotion%intensity%with%movements%of%eyes,%whereas%Western%
Caucasians%represent%emotional%intensity%with%other%parts%of%face
Western%Caucasians%show%emotions%with%distinct%set%of%facial%muscles,%whereas%East%
Asians%do%not
East%Asians%show%early%signs%of%emotional%intensity%with%eyes%(under%less%voluntary%
control%than%mouth)%for%fear,%disgust,%and%anger
East%Asians%represent%emotion%intensity%with%movements%of%eyes,%whereas%Western%
Caucasians%represent%emotional%intensity%with%other%parts%of%face
Western%Caucasians%show%emotions%with%distinct%set%of%facial%muscles,%whereas%East%
Asians%do%not
East%Asians%show%early%signs%of%emotional%intensity%with%eyes%(under%less%voluntary%
control%than%mouth)%for%fear,%disgust,%and%anger
Six%basic%categories%inadequate%to%represent%conceptual%space%of%emotions%for%East%
Asians
Neglect%shame,%pride,%guilt
How%to%Build%a%Brain
Fertilized%egg%contains%information%that%copies%into%nucleus%of%every%newly%formed%
cell% to%guide%gradual%but%powerful%process%of%shaping%each%organ
Previous%notion%of%mind%and%body%as%separate%is%wrong
Brain's%capabilities% emerge%from%its%physical%properties
Identical%twins%resemble%each%other%more%than%nonHidentical%twins%in%
personality%and%physique
Mental%disorders%are%shared%even%by%twins%reared%apart
Shaping%bodies%of%animals%often%leads%to%correlated%changes%in%behaviour
Proper%neural%wiring%depends%on%behaviour%of%individual%axons%and%dendrites
Axon%activity%governed%by%handHlike%protuberances%at%end%of%each%axon%called%
growth%cones
Growth%cones%swerve,%maneuver,%and%extend%and%retract%feelers%called%
filopodia%to%search%for%destination
Growth%cones%broadcast%signals%to%find%destinations
Some%proteins%serve%as%radio%beacons%to%guide%distant%growth%cones%(provided%
they%are%tuned%to%right%station)
Researchers%can%now%begin%to%understand%how%to%manipulate%those%genes
Rather%than%waiting%for%experience,%brains%use%complex%combination%of%genes%and%
proteins%to%create%starting%point%for%brain
Nature%and%Nurture%Redux
Beyond%the%Blueprint
Genes%seen%as%providers%of%opportunity
All%genes%have%2%functions
Serve%as%templates%for%building%particular%proteins
Each%has%regulatory%sequence%(set%of%conditions%that%guide%whether%or%not%
that%gene's%template%gets%converted%into%protein)
Each%gene%has%IF%and%THEN%(precondition%=%IF,%action%=%THEN)
IFs%responsive%to%environment%of%cells
Genes%are%dynamic%and%can%guide%cell% in%different%ways%at%different%times%based%on%
Serve%as%templates%for%building%particular%proteins
Each%has%regulatory%sequence%(set%of%conditions%that%guide%whether%or%not%
that%gene's%template%gets%converted%into%protein)
Each%gene%has%IF%and%THEN%(precondition%=%IF,%action%=%THEN)
IFs%responsive%to%environment%of%cells
Genes%are%dynamic%and%can%guide%cell% in%different%ways%at%different%times%based%on%
balance%of%molecules%in%their%environment
Single%environmental%cue%can%radically%reshape%course%of%development
High%temperature%during%development%can%lead%African%butterfly%to%become%
brightly%coloured
Low%temperature%leads%to%brown%colour
Growing%butterfly%doesn't%learn%how%to%blend%in%better
Genetically% programmed%to%develop%in%two%different%ways%in%two%different%
environments
Many%genes%have%multiple%Ifs
From%Genes%to%Behaviour
Changing%regulatory%IF%region%of%single%gene%can%have%significant%effect%on%social%
behaviour
Could%change%one%gene%to%create%mice%that:
Are%anxious%and%fearful
Increase%alcohol%consumption%under%stress
Lack%nurturing%instinct
Groom%constantly%to%point%of%baldness
Although%individual%genes%can%have%powerful%effects,%no%trait%is%consequence%of%any%
single%gene
Most%behaviours%are%product%of%multiple%interacting%system%(except%perhaps%in%
reflexes)
Genes%build%neural%structures,%not%behaviour
"Cascading"
One%gene%influences%another,%which%influences%another,%which%influences%
another
One%gene%is%precondition%for%expression%of%next
From%a%Tiny%Number%of%Genes%to%a%Complex%Brain
30,000%gene%shortage%argument%for%influencing%20%billion%cells%in%brain
Better%to%think%of%genome%as%compression%scheme%rather%than%blueprint
Trillions%of%cells%in%the%body%supervised%by%same%30,000Hgene%genome
From%Prewiring%to%Rewiring
Instead%of%asking%to%which%extent%genes%prewire%brain,%now%asking%to%which%extent%
and%how%genes%can%rewire%brain
Innateness%is%extent%to%which%brain%is%prewired
Plasticity%is%extent%to%which%brain%can%be%rewired
Some%organisms%may%be%good%at%one%but%not%the%other
Humans%wellHendowed%in%both%respects
Is%There% Common%Ground?
and%how%genes%can%rewire%brain
Innateness%is%extent%to%which%brain%is%prewired
Plasticity%is%extent%to%which%brain%can%be%rewired
Some%organisms%may%be%good%at%one%but%not%the%other
Humans%wellHendowed%in%both%respects
Is%There% Common%Ground?
Most%traits%reflect%both%genetic%and%environmental%differences
GeneHenvironment%correlations%explain%how%nature%and%nurture%may%interact
Too%much%emphasis%in%genes%and%evolutionary%psychology%=%implying%social%roles%are%
fixed%by%nature
Too%much%emphasis%in%culture%and%socialization%=%ignoring%natural%constraints%on%
behaviour%and%assuming%attitude%is%all%that%matters
Must%find%right%balance