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Behavioral Genetics: The Interdisciplinary Study

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Behavioral Genetics: The Interdisciplinary Study
Behavioral genetics is the interdisciplinary study of how genes affect behavior (Mcgue & Bouchard, 1998). The interactions between genotype and environment influence behavior of all organism including humans. This interaction is the premise of one of the oldest psychological debates: the nature vs. nurture theory. On one side, there is the belief that behavior is a direct result of genetic makeup. For example, a child with aggressive tendencies will have inherited their aggression from their parents. On the other side, there is the belief that behavior is influenced by environment and upbringing and has nothing to do with genetics. In this case, a child with aggressive tendencies will have learned their aggression from their upbringing. Ultimately,

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