Nurturing nature

Evolutionary psychologists go to some lengths to insist that, unlike exponents of earlier versions of social Darwinism, they are not genetic determinists, or as they sometimes put it, nativists. Rather, they argue that the nature/nurture dichotomy is a fallacious one. Instead, they seek to account for what they believe to be universals in terms of a version of Darwinian theory - a version which in practice owes more to Dawkins reductive fundamentalism than it does to Darwin s own more pluralistic and observation-rich insights. 

Burks, B. S. (Ed.). (1928b). Statistical hazards in nature-nurture investigations. Blomington, II Public School Publishing Company. 

The nature-nurture problem revisited in most vertebrates, early experience of certain odors, interwoven with genetically anchored developmental processes, produces lasting, often irreversible odor recognition, preferences, or avoidance. Such behavioral development often occurs during more or less defined critical windows in time. The development of responses to odors often precedes that of odor production. Neonates already orient towards odors, while many pheromones are not produced until adulthood. Even before hatching or birth, the journey of chemical communication starts in the egg or the uterus. Knowing how chemical communication and chemosensoiy responses to food or danger develop is essential in areas such as animal husbandry or human behavior. 

The third part. Developmental Psychopathology, delves into detailed disease-specific overviews. Each of the chapters covers issues pertaining to nosology and classification, to genetic determinants, brain systems implicated, environmental influences, and nature-nurture interactions. Neurotransmission and neuromodulation, and hormonal and other developmental influences are addressed and, whenever available, relevant animal models are incorporated into the discussion. The interplay of normative and derailed development is a core concept for these chapters. Of the part s 12 chapters, 9 are devoted to traditionally defined disease categories, and 3 cover the overarching areas of early-life stress, aggression, and affiliative behaviors. 

To what extent does variation in the activity of an inducible enzyme in vivo reflect the capacity (genetic potential) to respond to an inducer and to what extent does it reflect a difference in exposure to that inducer This is the classical nature/nurture problem wherein both factors frequently are unknown. The capability for induction in humans usually has been assessed by studying human cells in culture (26-29) rather than by exposing human subjects to inducing agents. However, some in vivo human studies exist and they confirm that intact humans can, indeed, respond to inducers. There have not been many circumstances where induction per se was tested in humans. Most in vivo studies compare enzyme activities in populations... 

McGuffin P, KatzR, Rutherford J (1991) Nature, nurture and depression A twin study. Psychol Med 21 329—335. 

Plomin R 1993 Nature and nurture perspective and prospective. In Plomin R, McClearn GE (eds) Nature, nurture and psychology. American Psychological Association, Washington,... 

My intention throughout the book is to make the case that the prenatal environment must be considered in any attempt to understand the origins of human health and disease, and of human behavior and intelligence, and in any resolution of the simplistic nature—nurture debate put to the public by the media. Nature is more than genetics, and nurture is a more complex proposition than what occurs in just the postnatal environment of parents and communities and nations. Environment starts at conception, and neglecting this fact as we have for too long has resulted in often tragic consequences for those born into our world and, by extension, for us all. 

Rutter, M. (2006). Genes and Behavior Nature Nurture Interplay Explained. 

Raj, A. and van Oudenaarden, A. 2008. Nature, nurture, or chance Stochastic gene expression and its consequences. Cell 135 216-226. 

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