the challenge in teaching behavioral genetics

In some of my courses, I will include a lecture or two on behavioral genetics, as a way to let students know about the area of research where we use biological ideas to understand human behavior. I am usually frustrated because students always take away the wrong lesson. Examples:

• Fabio: Shared parents explain more of the variance than shared family.
• Students: It’s all genetically determined.

Or:

• Fabio: Our DNA is a random mix of genes inherited from both parents.
•  Students: It’s all genetically determined.

Or:

• Fabio: Shared family doesn’t even explain 50% of the variance in most models, which means that there must be non-family environmental factors at work.
• Students: It’s all genetically determined.

Or:

• Fabio: The expression of certain traits can depend on numerous social and environmental variables.
• Students: It’s all genetically determined.

Oddly, it doesn’t even matter whether it’s a random undergrad who wants to think “its’s all genetically determined” or a cynical soc grad student who thinks all is socially constructed. They both take away the same message! Weird!

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