A century of twin and adoption designs has demonstrated beyond any doubt that all human individual differences are heritable. Once we have accepted that fact, what can the genetics of behavior actually teach us about the important questions: why does the behavior of human beings differ, and how do those differences develop? These questions have only become more pressing as new genetic methods based on measured DNA have started to replace quantitative genetic methods based on family members. Sometimes, genetic analysis provides deep insight into the genesis of behavior that is not evident from simple observation of the phenotype; other times, however, it does not. This lecture will explain how to tell the difference.

This talk is also the 2019 Lyle Lanier Lecture

Hosted by: Department of Psychology

In conjunction with: Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, Carle Illinois College of Medicine, Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, Child Development Laboratory, College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, College of Applied Health Sciences, College of Education, Counseling Center, Department of Bioengineering, Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, Department of Statistics, Family Resiliency Center, Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Institute, Neuroscience Program, School of Social Work