Gene-Environment Interactions

I. Introduction
A. Genotype
B. Phenotype

II. Genes, the organism, and the environment

A. What is a gene-environment interaction?
B. Waddington’s cannalization principle
C. Gottesman’s Range Of Reaction principle
1. Genetic constraints on individuals
2. Problems with range of reaction
3. Kinship studies
D. Feedback in gene-environment interactions
1. Scarr and McCartney model
2. Three different gene-environment interactions
a. Passive gene influences
b. Evocative gene influences
c. Active gene influences
E. The ahistorical-historical dimension

III. Questions about gene-environment interactions

A. Is there a developmental program?
B. Do genes determine the phenotype?
C. Do genes determine capacity?
D. Do genes determine tendencies?
What do we mean by gene – environment
interactions?

Variations in any level of the environment can have an

impact on the development of the organism
• Experiments on the Himalayan rabbit
• Studies of fur color
How do we study gene-environment interactions?
• Keep environments of different genotypes constant
• Keep genotype constant while varying the
environment
 Waddington’s canalization principle
Although both influence development, genes might
influence some attributes more than others
• Conrad Waddington
• Canalization - Cases in which genes restrict
development to a small number of outcomes
• Example – Babbling in infants
• Canalization and critical periods
Implications of canalization
• Multiple pathways of development
• Some circumstances, genes may limit the extent to
which environments can influence development
Gottesman’s Range of Reaction Principle
Individual genotypes might operate in ways to restrict
development or constrain outcome
• Range of reaction principle:
• Genotype, or genetic structure, sets the limits on
the range of possible phenotypes that a person
might display in response to different
environments:
• Example: Intellectual development in children
 The Range of Reaction Principle

160
Reaction Ranges

A
In te llig e n c e Q u o tie n t

120
A

B
80

B
C

40 C

0
R e s tric te d A v e ra g e E n ric h e d

T y p e o f E n v iro n m e n t
Gottesman’s Range of Reaction Principle
Individual genotypes might operate in ways to restrict
development or constrain outcome
• Range of reaction principle:
• Genotype, or genetic structure, sets the limits on
the range of possible phenotypes that a person
might display in response to different
environments:
• Example: Intellectual development in children
• Generally, a statement about the interplay between
environment and heredity

Problems with range of reaction principle

• Issues in terms of how to investigate principle
• Issues in terms of finding genetically identical
individuals.

Kinship studies:
• Studies in which members of same biological family
compared to see how similar in attribute(s)
• Monozygotic twins – genetically identical
• Dizygotic twins, siblings – genetically similar
• Half siblings
 The Scarr and McCartney Model

Child’s Genes

Child’s
Phenotype

Child’s
Environment
 The Scarr and McCartney Model, con’t

Child’s
Genes

Parent’s Child’s
Genes Phenotype

Child’s
Environment
 The Scarr and McCartney Model, con’t

Child’s
Genes

Parent’s Child’s
Genes Phenotype

Child’s
Environment
 The Scarr and McCartney Model, con’t

Child’s
Genes

Parent’s Child’s
Genes Phenotype

Child’s
Environment
 Three Different Genotype-Environment
Interactions
Passive gene influences
• Parents contribute to development in two ways:
• Provide genetic material
• Structure environment socially and emotionally
• Because environments provided/created by parents
depend on their genotype, environments will be
generally matched to children’s genotype

Evocative gene influences

• Child’s heritable characteristics affect behavior of
others towards child

Active gene influences (niche picking)

• Environments children prefer and seek out those that
are most compatible with genetic predispositions
 Questions about
Genotype-Environment Interactions
Is there a developmental program?
• Analogy between genetic code and computer
program

Do genes determine the phenotype?

• Once genotype is fixed, phenotype is determined
Do genes determine capacities?
• Genotype sets the absolute limits on the nature of the
phenotype

Do genes determine tendencies?

• Genotype determines a general tendency toward a
particular phenotype
• Example – the genetic contribution towards
excitability is a tendency to get excitedv