What can we do? moving debates about genetic determinism in new directions peter.taylor@umb Science, Technology & Va

1. What can we do? moving debates about genetic determinism in new directions peter.taylor@umb.edu Science, Technology & Values UMass Boston

2. Ask: What can we do? (in light of what scientists are claiming about genetics and environment in the development of individual lives)

3. Caspi, A., et al. (2002) "Role of Genotype in the Cycle of Violence in Maltreated Children." Science 297: 851-854.

4. Composite Index of antisocial behavior

5. Composite Index of antisocial behavior

7. Composite Index of antisocial behavior

8. Composite Index of antisocial behavior

10. misclassification stereotyping individuals treated according to group membership (remember: information to individualize has a cost)

11. Ask: What can we do? (in light of what scientists are claiming about genes and environment in the development of individual lives) Challenge actions based on differences between group means (variation vs. cost of individualizing)

12. Ask: What can we do? (in light of what scientists are claiming about genes and environment in the development of individual lives) Challenge actions based on differences between group means (variation vs. cost of individualizing) Investigate development (expose multiple points of engagement)

13. Brown, G. W. and T. Harris (1978) Social Origins of Depression New York, The Free Press.

17. Kendler, K. S., et al. (2002) "Towards a comprehensive developmental model for major depression in women" American Journal of Psychiatry 159: 1133-1145 [link]

18. Paul, D. (1997) The history of newborn phenylketonuria screening in the U.S. http://biotech.law.lsu.edu/research/ fed/tfgt/appendix5.htm

19. newborn screening for PKU -> special diet -> severe retardation prevented multiple points of engagement: reduction in false positives; diagnosis of variability in PKU; appropriate diet personal motivation & understanding of people with some mental deficits family, peer, cultural support for diet insurance coverage prevention of “maternal PKU”

20. Ask: What can we do? (in light of what scientists are claiming about genes and environment in the development of individual lives) Challenge actions based on differences between group means (variation vs. cost of individualizing) Investigate development (expose multiple points of engagement) Avoid discussion of “genes” “environment” “interaction” (unhelpful or questionable)

21. Jensen, A. R. (1969) "How much can we boost IQ and scholastic achievement?" Harvard Educational Review 39: 1-123

22. within group variation gap between group means high heritability within group => between group social policy -> sustained IQ increase sociological factors can’t explain all of gap plausible: significant genetic component (w/in & b/w) => do not dismiss innate differences (e.g., abstract vs. rote) & educate accordingly

23. 25 April 2005 Black-White-East Asian IQ differences at least 50% genetic, scientists conclude in major law journal A 60-page review of the scientific evidence, some based on state-of-the-art magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of brain size, has concluded that race differences in average IQ are largely genetic. The lead article in the June 2005 issue of Psychology, Public Policy and Law… examined 10 categories of research evidence from around the world to contrast "a hereditarian model (50% genetic-50% cultural) and a culture-only model (0% genetic-100% cultural)." The paper, "Thirty Years of Research on Race Differences in Cognitive Ability," by J. Philippe Rushton of the University of Western Ontario and Arthur R. Jensen of the University of California at Berkeley… "Neither the existence nor the size of race differences in IQ are a matter of dispute, only their cause," write the authors…

24. Dickens, W. T. and J. R. Flynn (2001) "Heritability estimates versus large environmental effects: The IQ paradox resolved." Psychological Review 108(2): 346-369.

25. within group variation gap between group means high heritability within group => between group social policy -> sustained IQ increase sociological factors can’t explain all of gap generational ^ plausible: significant genetic component (w/in & b/w) logic must be wrong for racial mean gap as well

26. reciprocal causation models matching of environments + social multiplier

27. Ask: What can we do? (in light of what scientists are claiming about genes and environment in the development of individual lives) Challenge actions based on differences between group means (variation vs. cost of individualizing) Investigate development (expose multiple points of engagement)

29. Taylor, P. J. (2005) “The ‘IQ paradox’ reconceived: Visualizing the limited relevance of human heritability estimates in explaining differences between means across groups or across generations” Working paper.

30. Association Intervention/ Engagement if you see X, you see Y ? if you do X, then you seeY

31. agricultural research vs. human behavioral genetic research +background knowledge hypotheses -> insight -> for b/w group means not separable from “environmental” because twin replication is w/in group/location

33. School A average 64 School B average 44 Interpretations? • school A superior to B in facilities, admin, etc. • teachers in school A superior (on av.) to teachers in B • school A superior students (on av.) in algebra all unjustified

34. School A average 64 School B average 44 for nested situation Justified interpretation: algebra scores for students in school A taught by teachers in school A are superior (on av.) to algebra scores for students in school B taught by teachers in school B

37. includes experiences associated w/ Euro-Am. racial group membership includes experiences associated w/ Afr-Am. racial group membership Justified interpretation: IQ scores for Euro-Am’s growing up with experiences associated w/ Euro-Am. group membership are superior (on av.) than IQ scores for Afr-Am’s growing up with experiences associated w/ Afr-Am. group membership

38. agricultural research vs. human behavioral genetic research +background knowledge hypotheses -> insight -> for b/w group means not separable from “environmental” because twin replication is w/in group/location

39. 25 April 2005 Black-White-East Asian IQ differences at least 50% genetic, scientists conclude in major law journal A 60-page review of the scientific evidence, some based on state-of-the-art magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of brain size, has concluded that race differences in average IQ are largely genetic. The lead article in the June 2005 issue of Psychology, Public Policy and Law… examined 10 categories of research evidence from around the world to contrast "a hereditarian model (50% genetic-50% cultural) and a culture-only model (0% genetic-100% cultural)." The paper, "Thirty Years of Research on Race Differences in Cognitive Ability," by J. Philippe Rushton of the University of Western Ontario and Arthur R. Jensen of the University of California at Berkeley… "Neither the existence nor the size of race differences in IQ are a matter of dispute, only their cause," write the authors… unhelpful or questionable

40. 4 themes to move debates about genetic determinism in new directions Ask: What can we do? (in light of what scientists are claiming about genes and environment in the development of individual lives) Challenge actions based on differences between group means (variation vs. cost of individualizing) Investigate development (expose multiple points of engagement) Avoid discussion of “genes” “environment” “interaction” (unhelpful or questionable)