Research watch: the power of genetic and biological explanations to reduce social inclusion

Abstract

PurposeThis research watch aims to summarise two recent research papers relating to the use of biological explanations: the first paper highlights how unhelpful it can be to over‐use genetic explanations for various human experiences, and the second paper discusses the unhelpfulness of exclusively biological explanations for mental health conditions.Design/methodology/approachA search was carried out for research papers with a mental health and social inclusion focus published within the past 12 months.FindingsThe first paper explores the many ways in which genetic explanations are over‐used to understand race, ethnicity, the sexes, sexual orientation, crime, mental health and obesity. This over‐use of genetic explanations leads to various negative consequences, among them social exclusion, but may be counteracted by better explanations of both the relatively weak nature of genetic influences and how people's genes and environment interact. The second paper examines evidence about whether it is really helpful to think of mental health conditions as illnesses “like any other”. It seems that it is not.Originality/valueBoth of these papers point to the need for promoting a more holistic understanding of human experience, and against focusing too narrowly on only one kind of cause, namely biological, and mostly on one aspect of biology, namely genes.