Robert Plomin || How DNA Makes Us Who We Are

Trauma & Resilience

The conversation highlights how genetics and environment contribute to resilience or susceptibility to trauma. Scott Kaufman discusses research showing that extreme trauma can alter brain connections, yet some individuals thrive despite these changes, while others suffer from depression and anxiety 1. Robert Plomin emphasizes that while severe environmental or genetic events can have tremendous effects, they don't explain a lot of variation in the population 1.

You can have a highly heritable trait, and you can totally screw it up with a severe environment. But I also like to say you could totally screw it up with some weird genetic effect, too.

--- Robert Plomin

The discussion also touches on the genetic influence on social mobility, with studies showing that higher polygenic scores correlate with greater educational and career success 2.

   

Gene-Environment

Understanding the dynamic interactions between genes and environmental factors is crucial. Robert Plomin explains that while some studies suggest gene-environment interactions, many are underpowered and fail to replicate 3. He argues that gene-environment correlations, where genes influence the environments we select, are more significant 3.

DNA doesn't do anything by itself. For me, the bottom line is if you take inherited DNA differences and you relate that to behavior, I'm going to call that causal.

--- Robert Plomin

Scott Kaufman raises concerns about the potential misuse of genetic information, emphasizing the importance of open and honest conversations about its implications 4.