Born That Way: Genes, Behavior, Personality

Taking the nature vs. nurture debate to a new level, this fascinating, comprehensive journey into the world of genetic research and molecular biology offers a fresh assessment of the work that has been done in this relatively new field during the last half century-work that has demolished common assumptions and overturned existing theories about what determines our personality and behavior. Beginning with the now-famous University of Minnesota twins study, Wright also writes about twin and adoption studies that compare individuals to establish a genetic influence, and about the corroborating research in molecular biology that underlines the links between genes and personality. He discusses the genetic background of the two human conditions that are today the most interesting to behavioral geneticists-depression and homosexuality-and the fluctuations in fortunes of biological versus environmental positions. He describes the evolution of theories concerning mental illness and the mind-body connection, and also discusses the widespread acceptance of Freudian theory, which puts all emphasis on early childhood to explain human behavior. Informative, insightful and highly entertaining for both the public and professionals in the field, Born That Way is a stimulating look at one of the most exciting fields of research on the frontier of science.