1. Behavioral genetics is interesting, but it doesn’t seem like we know very much about it. Is it likely that we will find a genetic component that underlies all behavior?

Your question introduces one of the most important issues that psychologists care about--nature versus nurture. This is an exciting time in the relatively young science of behavioral genetics. However, we cannot and will not conduct the kinds of studies that would give us more definitive answers about the contribution of genetics to behavior. For example, we can’t break up identical twins and assign them to controlled conditions so we can get accurate measurements of how they differ. As genetic science becomes more sophisticated, we are going to be able to isolate the genetic contributions to many aspects of human functioning, but the complexity of behavior is likely to make this understanding quite elusive.

It is possible. For example, a child born with a shy, passive temperament can learn to become more outgoing by having successful social experiences that encourage greater social risk-taking. Similarly, a cheerful, self-confident child can undergo a series of traumatic events that can undermine the ability to be comfortable with others. Because personality is a complex, its development can be influenced by more than just genetics.

Unfortunately, some early studies in the function of the brain produced a claim, popularized by the media, that the hemispheres independently govern skills in dramatically different ways. Left-brained people were thought to be analytic, logical, and good in school. Right-brained people were assumed to be creative and artistic instead. However, this approach was too simplistic. In the vast majority of us, our hemispheres work in synchrony to accomplish the miracles of everyday life. We have to expect greater complexity in understanding these miracles than having an overdeveloped or underdeveloped hemisphere.

We focus quite a bit on neurotransmitters because this is an amazing story of scientific discovery unfolding in our lifetime! We are just beginning to understand how neurotransmitters work to help our bodies perform intricate, magnificent acts as well as how deficits can interfere with basic functioning. Although the catalog of known neurotransmitters continues to expand, the excitement comes from being first-hand observers in the birth and growth of this exciting science.

Humans and other animals are equipped with some basic defense mechanisms to help in times of stress. When we are feeling threatened, we can fight or flee whatever scares us, but evolutionary psychologists also suggest that there may be survival value in holding perfectly still. This advantage is obvious in predator-prey situations. When prey “freeze,” they can blend in with their backgrounds, making it harder for them to be trapped. Even though we don’t have too many episodes in our lives when we feel this level of threat, it appears that we are still equipped with this survival reaction.