The Gene Illusion : Genetic Research in Psychiatry and Psychology Under the Microscope

What are the forces shaping who we are, how we live, and how we act? Are we shaped primarily by our environment, or by our genes? These very old questions form the basis of the ''nature-nurture'' debate. Increasingly, we are told that research has confirmed the importance of genetic factors influencing psychiatric disorders, personality, intelligence, sexual orientation, criminality, and so on. Jay JosephвЂTMs timely, challenging book provides a much-needed critical appraisal of the evidence cited in support of genetic theories. His book shows that, far from establishing the importance of genes, family, twin and adoption research has been plagued by researcher bias, unsound methodology, and a reliance on unsupported theoretical assumptions. Furthermore, he demonstrates how this greatly flawed research has been used in support of conservative social and political agendas. This is particularly evident in Chapter 2, which contains the only in-depth critical review of the history of twin research ever published. Much of the scientific evidence cited in support of genetic theories has been produced by the fields of behavior genetics and psychiatric genetics. It has been delivered to the public in numerous magazine and newspaper articles, as well as by the authors of several popular books. In particular, studies of twins (both reared together and reared apart) have been cited as providing conclusive evidence supporting the importance of genetic influences on psychological trait differences. The reared-apart twin studies performed by researchers at the University of Minnesota have been the subject of much attention, including stories of individual pairs of ''reared-apart'' identical twins who, it is claimed, displayed remarkable similarities upon being reunited. Joseph shows, however, that both systematic reared-apart twin studies, and stories about individual pairs, prove little if anything about the role of genes. Jay Joseph's timely, challenging book provides a much-needed rebuttal of the evidence cited in support of genetic theories in psychiatry and psychology, which are based mainly on twin and adoption studies. He shows that, far from establishing the importance of genes, psychiatric genetic and behavior genetic research on twins and adoptees has been plagued by researcher bias, unsound methodology, and a reliance on erroneous theoretical assumptions. Furthermore, he discusses how this faulty research has been used to support the interests of those attempting to bolster conservative social and political agendas. Under the Microscope Dr. Jay Joseph provocatively challenges current genetic theories and the evidence cited to support them - in particular, genes' alleged role in criminal behavior, IQ, heritability and molecular genetic research - and maintains they are all part of the "Gene Illusion." Genetic factors are increasingly presented as an important influence on psychiatric disorders, personality, intelligence and various types of socially unacceptable behavior -- as if that were an unassailable fact, proven by research. Jay Joseph's timely, challenging book provides a much-needed rebuttal of the evidence cited in support of genetic theories in psychiatry and psychology, which are based mainly on twin and adoption studies. He shows that, far from establishing the importance of genes, psychiatric genetic and behavior genetic research on twins and adoptees has been plagued by researcher bias, unsound methodology and a reliance on erroneous theoretical assumptions. Furthermore, he discusses how this faulty research has been used to support the interests of those attempting to bolster conservative social and political agendas Twin Research: Misunderstanding Twins, From Galton To The 21st Century -- The Twin Method: An Environmentally Confounded Research Technique -- Genetic Studies Of Twins Reared Apart: A Critical Review -- The Heritability Concept: A Measure Of Inheritance Or Inherently Misleading? -- The Genetics Of Schizophrenia I: An Overview -- The Genetics Of Schizophrenia Ii: Adoption Studies -- Is Crime In The Genes? A Critical Review Of Twin And Adoption Studies Of Criminal And Antisocial Behavior -- Genetics And Iq -- Molecular Genetic Research In Psychiatry And Psychology: An Exercise In Futility? -- Where Do We Go From Here? Jay Joseph. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [349]-389) And Indexes. In a provocative challenge to current genetic theories about mental health, a clinical psychologist practicing in the San Francisco Bay area critiques the research cited to support a biologically-based psychiatry. Joseph particularly questions the validity of twin studies in relation to psychiatric disorders, IQ, and criminal behaviors, and makes methodological recommendations. This is the revised North American edition of a book first published in the UK in 2003. Annotation 2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)