Born That Way: Genes, Behavior, Personality (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "ON A MONDAY MORNING of a typical workweek, a single woman in her early thirties is awakened by k.d. lang coming over her clock radio..." (more)
Key Phrases: New York Times, Leon Kamin, Minnesota Twin Study (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

William Wright takes on the question of nature versus nurture, examining the roles heredity and environment play in determining not only what we look like, but why some of us like coffee rather than tea or prefer cats to dogs. Wright's position is clearly in favor of genetic control of our predispositions, based on compelling evidence from various research such as the famous University of Minnesota studies of identical twins raised separately and from newer work such as that outlined in Dean Hamer's Living with Our Genes. Wright states emphatically, "The nature-nurture war is over." But he carefully avoids much of the outcry that met biologist E.O. Wilson's introduction of the principles of sociobiology by stating up front that genes aren't everything: "None of the data turned up by behavioral geneticists shows genes to be tyrannical commands, but rather nudges, sometimes strong, but more often weak."

Wright makes a strong case for genetic determinism, while carefully distancing himself from the socio-political ramifications of saying people are "born that way." He does this by showing how decades of research pointing toward genes as determiners of body and mind has been misinterpreted by groups or individuals intent on achieving their nonscientific goals. --Therese Littleton

From Publishers Weekly

In spite of fascinating material and an engaging writing style, Wright (Sins of the Father) is largely unsuccessful in his attempt to portray the current state of the nature-vs.-nurture debate as it pertains to the underlying causes of human behavior. On the positive side, Wright does a fine job of explaining the controversy between those who believe that human behavior is significantly controlled by genetic influences and those opting for the primacy of environmental factors. Similarly, his descriptions of the results, both anecdotal and scientific, of the Minnesota Twin Study of identical twins raised apart and brought back together later in life are compelling, clearly demonstrating the importance of heredity. What detracts greatly from these successes is Wright's relentless attack on those who disagree with his pro-genes position (e.g., "Richard Lewontin, one of the Not in Your Genes authors, who has repeatedly proved he needs no collaborators in his campaign of distortion"). Wright's calling his opponents "gene police," "radical environmentalists" and "genophobes" does nothing to elevate the level of the debate. And while Wright interviews and fully develops the personalities of many of the scientists on the "nature" end of the continuum, he presents caricatures of those on the "nurture" side. Nonetheless, many important public policy questions are touched on in this otherwise useful book.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Knopf; 1st edition (June 9, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679430288
• ISBN-13: 978-0679430285
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.9 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,620,172 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars In a word: Fascinating!, December 28, 2000

By	Joan Mazza "Author, speaker, poet" (Mineral, VA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Born That Way: Genes, Behavior, Personality (Paperback)

William Wright tackles the link between genes and behavior in plain language. He makes it clear that as human beings with consciousness and choice, genes do not dictate behavior, but contribute to it. He separates the politics of the fear regarding genetic research from what we know and how we know it and how we use new information. He also discusses how researchers might avoid some methodological hazards or the accusation of fudged data (document everything!).

He says, "Most scientists take the position that knowledge is neutral, value free; the use to which it is put might be good or bad, beneficial or hurtful to society in general. First, learn as much as we can, then let society decide how new information will be used. The opponents of behavioral genetics have consistently feared such a climate of unfettered inquiry." (p. 215)

Much of this book focuses on twin studies, but Wright also describes some of the research on hormone levels and their effects. He attempts to tease out the variables of nature and nurture on specific behaviors such as intelligence, depression, and a tendency toward violence.

My reading of this book sparked a frenzy of my reading other books on twins, homosexuality, and other research on the links between genes, environment, and behavior. I highly recommend this book.

~~Joan Mazza, author of Dream Back Your Life; Dreaming Your Real Self; Things That Tick Me Off; and Exploring Your Sexual Self.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars on target, but highly polemical, March 21, 1999

By	Nik Weaver (St. Louis, MO USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The central theme of this book --- that personality differences are largely (but not wholly) genetic --- is certainly ascendant. The opposing view, radical environmentalism, is increasingly seen as a lunatic fringe view within the academic community.

But "Born That Way" just isn't a very good book. Wright expends a great deal of effort excoriating radical environmentalists, and although many of his targets richly deserve this treatment, it gets boring pretty fast. This is primarily a political book, not a book about science.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent coverage of the nature/nurture wars, July 16, 1998

By A Customer

A wonderful book. Provides a detailed history of the nature/nurture controversy that has raged throughout the 20th century. Even though Wright makes no bones about his position (many characteristics are present from birth, although environment matters too) he gives thorough and fair coverage to the many arguments that arise over identical twin studies, adoption studies, etc.