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The Implications of Uncovering Genomic Contributions to "Normal" Human Traits and Behaviors
Grand Challenge III-3 and III-2
Research is increasingly exploring the genetic contributions to biological attributes such as handedness, cognition, diurnal rhythms, aging and various behavioral and personality characteristics. The findings from such studies may have profound and complex implications for how individuals, families and society understand human variation, health and illness. Research in this area explores the implications of the discovery of genetic contributions related to non-disease attributes and various behavioral traits for how we understand health and illness.
Examples of possible research questions include:
- What are the ethical, legal and social implications of the tendency among both researchers and the press to interpret and report the findings of studies purporting to establish associations between particular genetic variants and psychiatric disorders or less well-defined behavioral phenotypes (e.g., addiction, obesity, impulsivity) in a manner that reinforces the fallacy of genetic determinism or genetic reductionism?
- What are the issues surrounding the possibility of group stigmatization, if genetic variants found to be associated with particular characteristics or traits (particularly those with negative connotations, such as a predisposition to violent or aggressive behavior, or low intelligence) are found to have a higher or lower frequency in some racial or ethnic groups?
- What are the implications of the possible use of the findings of behavioral genetics studies in non-medical contexts, such as in the criminal justice and educational systems?
- How might the possible use of genetic testing to assess an individual's predisposition to exhibit particular behaviors or personality traits affect concepts of responsibility and justice?
Last Reviewed: September 2, 2008
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