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Heritability and biological explanation

E Turkheimer1

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville 22903, USA. ent3c@virginia.edu

Psychological Review
|November 27, 1998
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

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Scientific understanding of human behavior faces debate, with some favoring biogenetic theories over psychological ones. However, heritability and brain correlations alone are insufficient to redefine our conception of behavior.

Area of Science:

  • Behavioral neuroscience
  • Behavioral genetics
  • Philosophy of psychology

Background:

  • Modern neuroscience and genetics spark debate on biogenetic vs. psychological theories of behavior.
  • Concerns exist regarding biogenetic theories being exaggerated, dehumanizing, or dangerous.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To critically evaluate the foundational role of heritability and psychobiological associations in understanding human behavior.
  • To argue against reformulating psychological conceptions based solely on genetic and brain data.

Main Methods:

  • Conceptual analysis of existing scientific debates and findings.
  • Examination of the implications of materialism for psychological processes.
  • Critique of the explanatory power of heritability and brain-behavior correlations.

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Main Results:

  • All human behavior varying among individuals is partially heritable and linked to brain aspects.
  • The ubiquity of these findings makes them a weak foundation for revising scientific views of behavior.
  • Heritability and psychobiological associations do not establish whether behavior is fundamentally genetic or biological.

Conclusions:

  • Relying on heritability and brain correlations for behavioral science reform leads to a tautology.
  • True progress in psychology requires discovering behavioral phenomena linked to specific low-level biological variables.
  • A nuanced approach is needed, acknowledging biological underpinnings without oversimplifying behavior.