← Chapter 1
Human Development · Chapter 1

Nature and Nurture: The Gene–Environment Dial

Development is never nature or nurture — every trait emerges from both your genes and your experiences working together. Pick a trait, then slide the environment dial and watch the outcome move along its reaction norm.

Reaction norm

The line is the reaction norm; the shaded band is the genetic range this trait can reach. The dot is the child, moved by the dial.
Pick a traitthen slide the dial below
◀ DeprivedenvironmentEnriched ▶