Belief In Genetic Determinism Research Articles

Genetic Determinism on Teachers’ Perceptions about Etiology of Mental Disorders

Mental disorders are disorders of the cognitive, emotional or behavioral condition of an individual. They can have several origins and are usually associated with expressive anguish and difficulty in various aspects of life, including school education. Mental disorders are accompanied by social stigmas which may be linked to the belief in genetic determinism, i.e., in the perception that mental disorders are unchanging. The objective of the present study was to understand the perception of Brazilian teachers of all levels about the etiology of mental disorders. The results showed that most of the teachers studied believe in the predominance or exclusivity of genes in mental disorders, and do not consider the environment as a potential influencer of their occurrence or mitigation. This perception approaches the belief in genetic determinism and can justify the labeling of students with mental disorders and the consequent perpetuation of social stigmas. It is therefore recommended to promote knowledge in this area, including knowledge of the dynamics of interaction between genes and the environment, helping educators to prepare and to be able to act according to the reality of each student without creating inappropriate stereotypes.

Factors explaining students’ attitudes towards learning genetics and belief in genetic determinism

ABSTRACT Understanding how teaching affects students' attitudes and beliefs is notoriously difficult, specifically in a quickly evolving and societally relevant field such as genetics. The aim of this survey study is to capitalize our previous research and examine how teaching relates to Finnish secondary school students’ liking of, self-concept in and experienced utility of genetics, attitude towards gene technology and belief in genetic determinism. In this unique setting, we used as explanatory variables their teachers’ teaching emphases and learning materials, and as student-related factors, we used gender and the number of biology courses attended. Item-response theory with exploratory, confirmatory, and explanatory analyses were carried out to model the data. Teaching explained students’ attitudes and beliefs: if the teacher’s emphasis was Hereditary or the textbook with stronger Mendelian emphasis was used, students tended to havemore negative attitudes towards learning genetics and stronger belief in genetic determinism . Our results also suggest gender differences: male students had more positive attitude towards gene technology, higher self-concept, whereas as utility of genetics and belief in genetic determinism were higher in females. The results suggest that teaching’ approaches as well as learning materials need updates to fulfil the needs for genetics literacy.

Measuring Belief in Genetic Determinism: A Psychometric Evaluation of the PUGGS Instrument

Belief in genetic determinism (BGD) has been associated with increased social stereotyping and prejudicial views and consequently is of significant concern to science educators. The Public Understanding and Attitudes towards Genetics and Genomics (PUGGS) instrument was developed to measure relationships among BGD, genetics knowledge, and demographic variables. PUGGS validity evidence has relied primarily on Classical Test Theory frameworks and Brazilian samples. Using a more advanced psychometric framework (Rasch analysis) and a large North American undergraduate sample (n > 800), we further evaluate validity claims by studying (1) dimensionality and function of PUGGS item sets; (2) magnitudes of item endorsement across human traits (social, biological) and taxonomic (animal, plant) categories; and (3) degree of trait-level genetic overattribution. Similar to Gericke et al. (Sci Educ 26:1223–1259, 2017), we identified a two-dimensional structure for the BGD scale (i.e., social, biological) and the genetics knowledge scale (i.e., gene-environment interactions [GEI], genetics and genomics knowledge [GGK]). However, there were several problems with the functioning of the item sets (e.g., low reliability for GEI, problematic rating scale for BGD biological). We report that the magnitudes of GEI and GGK did not differ by taxonomic context. Finally, genetic over- (and under-) attribution was identified for both biological and social traits, indicating that students harbored considerably diverse and frequently non-normative conceptions about genetic contributions to traits. Importantly, psychometric and theoretical concerns reported here raise questions about the operationalization of the PUGGS BGD construct. Recommendations for PUGGS revisions and educational implications are discussed.

Free Will, Determinism, and Intuitive Judgments About the Heritability of Behavior.

The fact that genes and environment contribute differentially to variation in human behaviors, traits and attitudes is central to the field of behavior genetics. Perceptions about these differential contributions may affect ideas about human agency. We surveyed two independent samples (N = 301 and N = 740) to assess beliefs about free will, determinism, political orientation, and the relative contribution of genes and environment to 21 human traits. We find that lay estimates of genetic influence on these traits cluster into four distinct groups, which differentially predict beliefs about human agency, political orientation, and religiosity. Despite apparent ideological associations with these beliefs, the correspondence between mean lay estimates and published heritability estimates for the surveyed traits is large (r = .77). Belief in genetic determinism emerges as a modest predictor of accuracy in these lay estimates. Additionally, educated mothers with multiple children emerge as particularly accurate in their estimates of the genetic contribution to these traits.

Exploring Relationships Among Belief in Genetic Determinism, Genetics Knowledge, and Social Factors

Genetic determinism can be described as the attribution of the formation of traits to genes, where genes are ascribed more causal power than what scientific consensus suggests. Belief in genetic determinism is an educational problem because it contradicts scientific knowledge, and is a societal problem because it has the potential to foster intolerant attitudes such as racism and prejudice against sexual orientation. In this article, we begin by investigating the very nature of belief in genetic determinism. Then, we investigate whether knowledge of genetics and genomics is associated with beliefs in genetic determinism. Finally, we explore the extent to which social factors such as gender, education, and religiosity are associated with genetic determinism. Methodologically, we gathered and analyzed data on beliefs in genetic determinism, knowledge of genetics and genomics, and social variables using the “Public Understanding and Attitudes towards Genetics and Genomics” (PUGGS) instrument. Our analyses of PUGGS responses from a sample of Brazilian university freshmen undergraduates indicated that (1) belief in genetic determinism was best characterized as a construct built up by two dimensions or belief systems: beliefs concerning social traits and beliefs concerning biological traits; (2) levels of belief in genetic determination of social traits were low, which contradicts prior work; (3) associations between knowledge of genetics and genomics and levels of belief in genetic determinism were low; and (4) social factors such as age and religiosity had stronger associations with beliefs in genetic determinism than knowledge. Although our study design precludes causal inferences, our results raise questions about whether enhancing genetic literacy will decrease or prevent beliefs in genetic determinism.

Young Adults' Belief in Genetic Determinism, and Knowledge and Attitudes towards Modern Genetics and Genomics: The PUGGS Questionnaire.

In this paper we present the development and validation a comprehensive questionnaire to assess college students’ knowledge about modern genetics and genomics, their belief in genetic determinism, and their attitudes towards applications of modern genetics and genomic-based technologies. Written in everyday language with minimal jargon, the Public Understanding and Attitudes towards Genetics and Genomics (PUGGS) questionnaire is intended for use in research on science education and public understanding of science, as a means to investigate relationships between knowledge, determinism and attitudes about modern genetics, which are to date little understood. We developed a set of core ideas and initial items from reviewing the scientific literature on genetics and previous studies on public and student knowledge and attitudes about genetics. Seventeen international experts from different fields (e.g., genetics, education, philosophy of science) reviewed the initial items and their feedback was used to revise the questionnaire. We validated the questionnaire in two pilot tests with samples of university freshmen students. The final questionnaire contains 45 items, including both multiple choice and Likert scale response formats. Cronbach alpha showed good reliability for each section of the questionnaire. In conclusion, the PUGGS questionnaire is a reliable tool for investigating public understanding and attitudes towards modern genetics and genomic-based technologies.

Weight Stigma Reduction and Genetic Determinism.

One major approach to weight stigma reduction consists of decreasing beliefs about the personal controllability of—and responsibility for—obesity by educating about its biogenetic causes. Evidence on the efficacy of this approach is mixed, and it remains unclear whether this would create a deterministic view, potentially leading to detrimental side-effects. Two independent studies from Germany using randomized designs with delayed-intervention control groups served to (1) develop and pilot a brief, interactive stigma reduction intervention to educate N = 128 university students on gene × environment interactions in the etiology of obesity; and to (2) evaluate this intervention in the general population (N = 128) and determine mechanisms of change. The results showed (1) decreased weight stigma and controllability beliefs two weeks post-intervention in a student sample; and (2) decreased internal attributions and increased genetic attributions, knowledge, and deterministic beliefs four weeks post-intervention in a population sample. Lower weight stigma was longitudinally predicted by a decrease in controllability beliefs and an increase in the belief in genetic determinism, especially in women. The results underline the usefulness of a brief, interactive intervention promoting an interactionist view of obesity to reduce weight stigma, at least in the short term, lending support to the mechanisms of change derived from attribution theory. The increase in genetic determinism that occurred despite the intervention’s gene × environment focus had no detrimental side-effect on weight stigma, but instead contributed to its reduction. Further research is warranted on the effects of how biogenetic causal information influences weight management behavior of individuals with obesity.

Complementary gender stereotypes and system justification: the moderating role of essentialist lay theories for group differences / Estereotipos de género complementarios y justificación del sistema: el papel moderador de las teorías populares esencialistas sobre las diferencias grupales

Past research has established that complementary stereotypes of men and women serve to justify the gendered division of labour as well as the division of labour in society at large. This paper is concerned with the essentialist lay theories for the origin of group differences (i.e. belief in genetic determinism vs. belief in social determinism) which may moderate the justificatory effect of complementary gender stereotypes. We present data from an experimental study conducted in Greece, in which genetic vs. social deterministic lay theories for group differences and complementary vs. non-complementary accounts of gender differences were crossed. In these data, complementary accounts of gender increased participants’ justificatory responses only when a genetic deterministic context was made salient; on the contrary, the social deterministic context appeared to buffer the justificatory function of complementary accounts of gender. The results extend the literatures on the justificatory effects of complementary stereotypes as well as on essentialism, and point to the importance of the historical context in which particular ideas and lay theories for intergroup differences are embedded.

Reconciling the disability critique and reproductive liberty: The case of negative genetic selection

The disability critique of negative genetic selection is frequently accused of threatening reproductive liberty. This paper describes the disability critique and defends it against that objection. It also contends that the critique can work to deflate belief in genetic determinism. Recognizing the influence of genetic determinism helps advocate for existing persons in the disability community and protects reproductive liberty. The disability critique can point to genetic determinism but does not suggest a ban or obstacles to the choice of negative genetic selection; therefore, it is not antithetical to reproductive liberty, as has been charged.

Race, genetic determinism and the media: An exploratory study of media coverage of genetics and Indigenous Australians

Social scientists and Indigenous people have voiced concerns that media messages about genetics and race may increase the public's belief in genetic determinism and even increase levels of racism. The degree of genetic determinism in media messages has been examined as a determining factor. This study is the first to consider the implications of this area of scholarship for the indigenous minority in Australia. A search of the last two decades of major Australian newspapers was undertaken for articles that discussed Indigenous Australians and genetics. The review found 212 articles, of which 58 concerned traits or conditions that were presented in a genetically deterministic or antideterministic fashion. These 58 articles were analysed by topic, slant, and time period. Overall, 23 articles were anti-deterministic, 18 were deterministic, 14 presented both sides and three were ambiguous. There was a spike in anti-deterministic articles in the years after the Human Genome Diversity Project, and a parallel increase in deterministic articles since the completion of the Human Genome Project in 2000. Potential implications of the nature of media coverage of genetics for Indigenous Australians is discussed. Further research is required to test directly the impact of these messages on Australians.

Essentialism goes social: Belief in social determinism as a component of psychological essentialism.

Individuals tend to explain the characteristics of others with reference to an underlying essence, a tendency that has been termed psychological essentialism. Drawing on current conceptualizations of essentialism as a fundamental mode of social thinking, and on prior studies investigating belief in genetic determinism (BGD) as a component of essentialism, we argue that BGD cannot constitute the sole basis of individuals' essentialist reasoning. Accordingly, we propose belief in social determinism (BSD) as a complementary component of essentialism, which relies on the belief that a person's essential character is shaped by social factors (e.g., upbringing, social background). We developed a scale to measure this social component of essentialism. Results of five correlational studies indicate that (a) BGD and BSD are largely independent, (b) BGD and BSD are related to important correlates of essentialist thinking (e.g., dispositionism, perceived group homogeneity), (c) BGD and BSD are associated with indicators of fundamental epistemic and ideological motives, and (d) the endorsement of each lay theory is associated with vital social-cognitive consequences (particularly stereotyping and prejudice). Two experimental studies examined the idea that the relationship between BSD and prejudice is bidirectional in nature. Study 6 reveals that rendering social-deterministic explanations salient results in increased levels of ingroup favoritism in individuals who chronically endorse BSD. Results of Study 7 show that priming of prejudice enhances endorsement of social-deterministic explanations particularly in persons habitually endorsing prejudiced attitudes.

Familial Risk Cues in Direct-to-Consumer Prescription Drug Advertisements: Impacts on Intentions to Adopt Healthy Lifestyles and Pharmaceutical Choices

This study assessed the effects of cues of family history as a risk factor in direct-to-consumer advertisements. An experiment with a sample of 395 adults found significant impacts of familial risk cues on self-efficacy and behavioral intentions. Specifically, familial risk cues strengthened both intention to engage in healthy lifestyles and intention to seek advertised medications, partly through enhanced efficacy. Effects on perceived genetic risk for health conditions or belief in genetic determinism were not found. The findings suggest that familial risk cues incorporated in pharmaceutical appeals can enhance behavioral intentions in response to risk, without increasing a sense of fatalism. Theoretical and practical implications of the study are discussed.

Why does social dominance orientation decrease with university exposure to the social sciences? The impact of institutional socialization and the mediating role of “geneticism”

AbstractWhy does university exposure to a hierarchy‐attenuating (HA) academic major (e.g., social science) lead to a decrease in anti‐egalitarianism and group domination (social dominance orientation, SDO)? The reason for this well‐documented phenomenon remains unclear. In the social sciences, the origins of differences in both behavior and personality are attributed more to social and environmental factors than to genetic ones. We hypothesized that the normative and informational influences of this academic major would lead to perceptions that genes have a less important role than nurture in the shaping of human behavior and personality. Our main hypothesis was confirmed. Decreased SDO among psychology students was mediated significantly by a decrease in belief in genetic determinism, the factor we called “geneticism.” Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A preliminary study of how multiple exposures to messages about genetics impact on lay attitudes towards racial and genetic discrimination

Media depictions of genetics have led to concerns that this coverage will lead to increased belief in genetic determinism and increased discrimination, including racism. Previous studies of single exposures to messages about genetics or messages about genetics and race have shown some increases in discrimination and racism. Since attitude change is linked to repeated exposure to many messages, this study aimed to identify the effect of multiple exposures to multiple messages about genetics on attitudes towards determinism, discrimination and racism. Results showed an increase in genetically based racism, no increase in general racist affect and no significant increase in belief in determinism. Based on these results, we suggest that genetically based racism is a combination of racist affect with belief that perceived differences in human characteristics are solely or primarily influenced by genetics and that a move towards genetically based racism has implications for social policy.

Beliefs in Genetic Determinism and Attitudes towards Psychiatric Genetic Research: Psychometric Scale Properties, Construct Associations, Demographic Correlates, and Cross-Cultural Comparisons

Using two new scales, this study examined beliefs in genetic determinism and attitudes towards psychiatric genetic research in student samples from Austria, Malaysia, Romania, and the United Kingdom. For both constructs, effects of culture were detectable, whereas those related to key demographics were either small and inconsistent across samples (political orientation and religiosity) or zero (sex and age). Judged from factorial dimensionality and internal consistency, the psychometric properties of both scales were satisfactory. Belief in genetic determinism had lower prevalence and corresponded only modestly to positive attitudes towards psychiatric genetic research which had higher prevalence. The correlations of both constructs with a preference of inequality among social groups (social dominance orientation) were modest and inconsistent across samples. Both scales appear appropriate for cross-cultural applications, in particular for research into lay theories and public perceptions regarding genetic vs environmental effects on human behavior, mental disorders, and behavioral and psychiatric genetic research related to these.

Public Attitudes Toward Genetic Testing: Perceived Benefits and Objections

The aim of this study was to assess public attitudes toward the availability and use of genetic tests to explore support for genomics developments and to help improve public discussion. Questionnaires to assess the assumed advantages and disadvantages of genetic testing were sent to a representative sample of the Dutch population (n = 1,308; age > or =25 years). The response was 63% (817/1,308). Two groups with extreme scores on a four-item scale were distinguished, representing opponents (n = 248) and supporters (n = 264) of the availability and use of genetic tests. Multiple logistic regression analyses showed that those who were familiar with a genetic disease (odds ratio [OR] 0.54; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.32-0.89; p = 0.015), those who scored higher on a four-item scale on belief in personal benefits of testing (OR 0.29; 95% CI 0.21-0.40; p < 0.0001), and those who believe that knowledge of the genetic background of disease will help people to live more healthy lives (OR 0.48; 95% CI 0.37-0.62; p < 0.0001), were less likely to be opponents. Those who agreed that genetic testing is tampering with nature (OR 1.63; 95% CI 1.32-2.00; p < 0.0001) were more likely to be opponents. Other variables such as belief in genetic determinism, genetic knowledge, level of education, age, and gender were not significantly associated. These results suggest that in addition to moral acceptability, perceived usefulness is a precondition for supporting genetic testing. It is not expected that more information will necessarily result in more positive attitudes.

In Genes We Trust: The Biological Component of Psychological Essentialism and Its Relationship to Mechanisms of Motivated Social Cognition.

Three studies analyzed the biological component of psychological essentialism (laypeople's belief that social categories have an underlying nature/natural foundation) as it pertains to mechanisms of motivated social cognition. A new scale assessing the belief in genetic determinism is introduced as a measure of the biological component of essentialism. Results speak to the reliability and validity of the scale and show that essentialist beliefs are associated with basic social-cognitive motives and are also related to processes of stereotyping and prejudice. An experimental study found that rendering essentialist information salient elicits increased levels of prejudice and in-group bias, particularly in persons holding chronic essentialist beliefs.

Human cloning and our sense of self.

This Viewpoint formulates and responds to three lines of argument concerning human reproductive cloning's potential to undermine our sense of self or identity. First, cloning would undermine our sense of individuality or uniqueness. But it could only undermine our genetic uniqueness, not our full individuality. Second, cloning would undermine the value or worth of human beings. But it would not make individuals replaceable or of any less moral worth. Third, a clone's freedom or autonomy to construct his or her own life would be undermined by the presence of an earlier twin. But only a mistaken belief in genetic determinism supports this feared loss of freedom.