Genes and Behavior

In this major new book, eminent scientist Professor Sir Michael Rutter gets behind the hype of the behavioral genetics debate to provide a balanced and authoritative overview of the genetic revolution and its implications for understanding human behavior.

• Written by one of the world's leading figures in child psychology and psychiatry, Professor Sir Michael Rutter
• Provides non-technical explanation of genetics to diffuse the sensational debates surrounding the topic
• Sets out in layman's terms what genes do, how much is nature and how much is nurture
• Argues that nature and nurture are not truly separate and gives examples of how the two interact
• Looks at the implications of genetic findings for policy and practice
• The book will inform public debate about the implications of the Human Genome Project and, more broadly, the field of genetic science

“"By carefully considering basic principles and illustrating them with cutting-edge examples, Rutter has written an excellent introduction to behavioral genetics." ( The Quarterly Review of Biology , March 2009) "When I came to read this book I anticipated the critical integration of evidence by one of the most resourceful scientists of our era. I was not let down." ( Journal of Children's Services , December 2007) "The question of how genes and the environment interact should be an area of interest to all social and physical science; it should not remain solely the domain of geneticists. For anyone interested in developing a greater understanding of the mechanics of this interaction, this book would make an excellent choice." ( Young Minds Magazine , July 2006) "Michael Rutter, the United Kingdom's gift to world psychiatric excellence deals with this issue head-on in an amazingly readable and highly accurate book about genes and behaviour. ... This book is a gem." ( Psychological Medicine , 2006) "If you want an inspiring contribution to the debate in this highly topical area or research and also want to learn about the most up-to-date approaches to genetic research, then this is the book to choose." ( Nature , 2006) "Rutter offers a highly critical and extremely clear and well-written review of the current state of the nature/nurture argument as it relates to human behaviour and psychiatric illness. ... It is written in a way that should be easily accessible to the general reader as well as to the specialist. And, since its subject matter affects all of us, it should be read widely." ( Times Higher Education Supplement ) "The author deftly deals with the extreme arguments of genetic and environmental evangelists. It is a lucid, balanced tour de force. Highly recommended." ( Journal of Clinical Psychiatry )”

"By carefully considering basic principles and illustrating them with cutting-edge examples, Rutter has written an excellent introduction to behavioral genetics." (The Quarterly Review of Biology, March 2009)

"When I came to read this book I anticipated the critical integration of evidence by one of the most resourceful scientists of our era. I was not let down." (Journal of Children's Services, December 2007)

"The question of how genes and the environment interact should be an area of interest to all social and physical science; it should not remain solely the domain of geneticists. For anyone interested in developing a greater understanding of the mechanics of this interaction, this book would make an excellent choice." (Young Minds Magazine, July 2006)

"Michael Rutter, the United Kingdom's gift to world psychiatric excellence deals with this issue head-on in an amazingly readable and highly accurate book about genes and behaviour.... This book is a gem." (Psychological Medicine, 2006)

"If you want an inspiring contribution to the debate in this highly topical area or research and also want to learn about the most up-to-date approaches to genetic research, then this is the book to choose." (Nature, 2006)

"Rutter offers a highly critical and extremely clear and well-written review of the current state of the nature/nurture argument as it relates to human behaviour and psychiatric illness.... It is written in a way that should be easily accessible to the general reader as well as to the specialist. And, since its subject matter affects all of us, it should be read widely." (Times Higher Education Supplement)

"The author deftly deals with the extreme arguments of genetic and environmental evangelists. It is a lucid, balanced tour de force. Highly recommended." (Journal of Clinical Psychiatry)

Professor Sir Michael Rutter trained in psychiatry at the Maudsley Hospital, London, and in child development at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York. He was appointed to the first UK Chair in Child Psychiatry in 1973 and since his retirement in 1998, he has held a research chair in Developmental Psychopathology at the Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College, London. He has authored or edited some forty books, published over four hundred scientific papers, and has received numerous international awards and honors. Sir Michael is a member of the US Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine and a foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and of the US National Academy of Education. He received a CBE in 1985 and was knighted in 1992. He was Deputy Chairman of the Wellcome Trust from 1999 to 2004 and continues as a trustee of several foundations, including the Nuffield Foundation.

In recent years, the subject of genes and their influence on human behavior has become increasingly controversial as concerns about the racist use of genetics, discriminatory eugenics, and neurogenetic determinism have grown. In this major new book, eminent scientist Professor Sir Michael Rutter gets behind the hype to provide a balanced and authoritative overview of the genetic revolution and its implications for understanding human behavior.

Rutter sets out in layman's terms what genetic science has discovered to date, explaining exactly what genes do, how much is nature and how much is nurture. He argues that nature and nurture are not truly separate, giving powerful illustrations of how the two interact to determine our behavior. He also considers the implications of genetic findings for policy and practice. This thought-provoking account will inform public debate about the implications of the Human Genome Project and, more broadly, the field of genetic science.

In recent years, the subject of genes and their influence on human behavior has become increasingly controversial as concerns about the racist use of genetics, discriminatory eugenics, and neurogenetic determinism have grown. In this major new book, eminent scientist Professor Sir Michael Rutter gets behind the hype to provide a balanced and authoritative overview of the genetic revolution and its implications for understanding human behavior.Rutter sets out in layman's terms what genetic science has discovered to date, explaining exactly what genes do, how much is nature and how much is nurture. He argues that nature and nurture are not truly separate, giving powerful illustrations of how the two interact to determine our behavior. He also considers the implications of genetic findings for policy and practice. This thought-provoking account will inform public debate about the implications of the Human Genome Project and, more broadly, the field of genetic science.

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