ARTICLE REVIEW – THE PROBLEM OF ADAPTATION IN THE STUDY OF HUMAN

BEHAVIOR

From what I have read from the article I agree that both genetic and environment influences
behavioural development because our genetic destiny is not necessarily written in stone, it can be
influenced by several factors, such as social factors, as well as environmental influences among which
we live. The environment in which a person is raised can trigger the expression of behaviour for which a
person is genetically predisposed, while the same person raised in a different environment may exhibit
different behaviour. Genes do not cause behavioural or personality traits, they only influence them.
Although genes may be linked to certain traits, it is unlikely that researchers will ever find a single gene
that is entirely responsible for most complicated behaviours. First, each gene is not linked to one and
only one trait; one gene may influence many different personality characteristics. In addition, many
genes work in concert to influence most behaviors, meaning the genetic aspects of a particular trait are
the result of small effects over hundreds of individual genes. Even if all of the genes influencing
behaviour were discovered, behaviour still could not be fully explained nor predicted. This is because
people’s environments are just as important in influencing behaviour as their inherited genes. Factors
such as parenting, schooling, trauma, and prenatal environment, all play critical roles in the
development of social behaviour. Even the most highly heritable traits, such as height, are influenced by
environmental factors, as demonstrated by malnourished children that are very short despite having tall
parents. In this example, environmental factors such as nutritional intake have actually altered the way
in which genetically influenced characteristics are expressed.

Evolution has acted so that genes and environment act to complement each other in yielding
behavioural solutions to the survival challenges faced by humans. Innate or instinctive, responses allow
humans to benefit from generations of natural selection on behaviour. Learning gives human tools to
respond to local conditions and changing environments. Moreover, Human beings are able to alter their
behavior flexibly in response to environmental conditions in a manner that optimizes their lifetime
reproductive success.