Are We Hardwired?: The Role of Genes in Human Behavior

by William R. Clark and Michael Grunstein

Book Overview

Books such as Richard Dawkins's The Selfish Gene have aroused fierce controversy by arguing for the powerful influence of genes on human behavior. But are we entirely at the mercy of our chromosomes? In Are We Hardwired?, scientists William R. Clark and Michael Grunstein say the answer is both yes--and no.
The power and fascination of Are We Hardwired? lie in their explanation of that deceptively simple answer. Using eye-opening examples of genetically...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0195138260
• ISBN13: 9780195138269
• Release Date: November 2000
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 1.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.1" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

An Excellent Intro to the Role of Genetics in Human Behavior

This book takes on the really big questions about human existence: Is our behavior controlled by our genes, our environment or both? Is our behavior genetically dictated? If so, what can (or should) we do about it? This book actually makes some headway in resolving these questions and others like them and has the added attraction of giving you a survey of the science in this area.This book sat on my coffee table unread for six months because I harbored two opposing fears about reading it: On the one hand, I thought that the technical scientific details would be daunting, and on the other, I feared that this was an area that was not capable of intellectual resolution, that nothing of importance to understanding the human condition could be learned in this area. I was wrong on both counts. This book is a great introduction to what science has learned about the role of genes in human behavior and it is presented in a manner comprehensible to the lay reader.The first half of the book is devoted to the study of the behavior of comparatively simple creatures, round worms, Drosophila, sea slugs, etc. By analyzing simplified nervous systems, the authors are able to explore some simple relationships between genes and behavior. Then, in the second half, these same relationships are explored in more advanced creatures and in humans. The authors make clear the limits of the extension of these principles to more complex settings, but they were able to convince me of the appropriateness of the application of these studies to more complex species. The conclusions that the authors draw are not simplistic. The complex interplay of neurotransmitters is effectively developed and the possibility of multiple behavioral and neural antecedents to behavior is acknowledged. Still the same the reader will be awed, both by the genetic and neural science and by the implications for the human condition.In short, this is exactly the kind of book that will rock you back in your chair, stunned by the complexity and wonder that is the human neurological system.

Interesting volume

Are We Hardwired? is an interesting discussion of the recent progress made in the genetics of behavior. The authors begin their book by describing some of the data found in the now famous Minnesota twin studies and proceed to discuss some of the information derived from study of much simpler organisms. They link information on the paramecium, the round worm C. elegans, the much studied fruit fly Drosophila, and the humble mouse to similar biological events in humans and show how the research has helped us better understand our own kind, its strengths and weaknesses. The first chapter is dedicated to the amazing degree to which genetically identical individuals share similar behavioral characteristics. Even when reared in different environments and completely unaware of their genetically identical siblings, twins are seen to share much more in common with one another and their biological family than they do with their adoptive family. This is seen especially clearly in the studies on obesity, substance abuse and sexual preference. Chapters 2 through 8 reveal what simpler organisms have to say about behavior. By studying these animals, which possess very simple genetics and biological systems, scientists have been able to more closely pinpoint genetic sites active in mammalian organisms which perform similar functions. What is most surprising is the degree to which nature has conserved "what works" over time. The simple response of a single celled animal to its environment and it's ability to learn or to habituate to a stimulus over time suggests some of the chemical underpinnings of behavior in much more complex animals. The simple neural pathways of the round worm, for instance, allow identification of specific responses to stimulation or inhibition of these pathways. Even the time keeping propensities of yeast and fruitflies is studied and has implications for the circadian clocks of humans and other mammals.Given the dark history of the first half of the last century with respect to human biology, the information provided in the last chapters--having to do with eating disorders, substance abuse, mental functioning, and sexual preference--will be the most controversial for readers. These chapters discuss recent genetic data that indicate a strong heritability for many of these behaviors and point out the caveats for research in these sensitive areas. The authors are especially quick to point out that IQ is a murky measurement at best and has often been used as a means of justifying social inequality but they also note that intelligence, like other human behaviors, is genetically perpetuated and therefore a valid subject of study. They also point out that the genome project, while it might easily be used to discriminate unjustly, provides an avenue of remarkable opportunity to remedy the ills of mankind.Whether one agrees or disagrees with the authors on the ethical issues and the dangers of research in the area of human genetics, th

Some Good Basics

It was fascinating to learn what is known to date about biochemical reactions and pathways which have a role in memory and behavior, and how it has been possible to tease out which genes produce which critical enzymes in those processes. In particular it is amazing to me how much of this scientists have learned by studying simpler organisms like paramecia, round worms,and fruit flies. The fundamental chemistry seems to have been quite stable for 600 millions of years! Of course a single book can hardly attempt to unravel the nature/nurture interaction, the rough completion of the genome project itself only scratches the surface. But I learned a great deal by getting a peek at some of the basics which are known to date.

The answer is yes and no.

Clark and Grunstein, scholars in molecular and chemical biology, answer their own question by saying both yes or no. Perhaps half of our behavior can be linked to our DNA, but even then how genes are expressed depends on environmental factors, both pre- and postnatal. The book takes the reader on a tour of modern genetics as well as behavioral findings in regard to such topics as pheremones, learning, memory, biological clocks, neurotransmitters, aggression, eating disorders, substance abuse, mental functioning and sexual preference. It is not easy reading the very worthwhile in getting a feel for where science is with their question as to the extent of our being hardwired. Stay tuned; much more additional knowledge expected in the years ahead.