Robert Plomin on Blueprint: how our DNA makes us who we are

DNA is more important than any other factor in shaping who we are.

From how well you do at school, whether you’re introverted or extroverted whether you suffer from depression or addiction, and even if you’re more likely to get a divorce: all these aspect of our personality are shaped by our genes.

In Blueprint, Robert Plomin draws on a lifetime of research to show how our understanding of DNA will revolutionise how we parent, the choices we make, and who we are: teaching us to be more tolerant of ourselves and each other in the process.

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[positivegradient]

What a great video - Dr. Plomin talking about fascinating things in his slow and hypnotic voice, the great music, and the wonderful montage of the lab and the people in it.

To all those involved - awesome work!

[amudavatsal]

WOW, put it out so well. Would definitely grab the book asap.
Thankyou creators for such a great video!

[sidimightbe]

This guys my favorite out of all these, he’s nice and doesn’t want an ethnostste

[CarmenLopez-tiiv]

What an amazing video! Thank you Dr Plomin for your contribution to the humanity !

[peterpehlivan]

What a brilliant man - I hope he and his colleagues push the zeitgeist to a more tolerant, free, and enlightened state.

[richardblock]

Plomin has written a very useful book that will open eyes.

[Vinnydel]

Why this book isn’t world wide famous ??

[WorthlessWinner]

I've been a fan of Plomin since I saw a 2003 interview with him, he seems a great communicator of science. However, the book disappointed me, it seemed like he was trying to simplify things for a general audience way too much and it ended up making his statements unclear. I had to rely on what he'd said in other publications to figure out what he meant. The facts he presents are interesting however he presents them, I'm sure I'd have enjoyed the book more if i hadn't seen those facts before.

[TWB-global]

We should all embrace a good challenge, especially one that takes issue with what we hold as sacrosanct…but maybe I’m not that open minded. This is a beautifully soft-spoken, endearing—even compelling—treatment of the nature vs. nature. I will be the first one to admit that the subject should be explored—all doors open enough so we can see both the courage of our convictions AND the courage of our contradictions.

After viewing this video, however, it's hard to swallow his assertions, primae facie, once see/read/hear individual statements like: “Probabilistic propensity…not predetermined genetic hardwiring.” A statement like that gives me a lump in my throat because it teeters between scientific validity and a thinly-veiled justification for ____(well, you fill in the blanks). Let’s use his words, not my interpretation:

Plonin: “I know my polygenic score for educational achievement and it is very high. I don’t know my sisters’ [score]. but I’d be willing to predict hers isn’t so high..” Dr. Plonin, really? Is that all there is to her lack of success in school? Her teacher…the level of encouragement for girls…a minor role? Fine to recognize genetic differences IN, rather than between, families.

He claims that we can now identify those “ubiquitous genetic influence on psychological traits.” He goes on to say that “polygenic scores have become the best predictor we have of some psychological traits, most notably schizophrenia and school achievement.” It’s pretty easy to guess what he says next: “There’s no other predictors that can predict from birth…and this will promote research that aims to intervene to prevent problems before they occur.“

This puts me downright at edge. I accept the challenge. I cannot ignore those “Brave New World” willies that come up when my minority group is so easily characterized. Nor can I ignore its intimations of Jensen’s bio-determinants of intelligence…or those correlations between cranium size and intelligence. Is there some fascinating stuff here, worthy of exploration? Yes. Without an equally challenging discussion about ethics? No. And…finally…should an argument challenging this be dismissed as uninformed? No!

Sure, pure research should be honored and protected. So, too, should hard questions. Is there a genetic polygenic score for sensing when respect for genetic research has overlooked the slippery slope of its potential impact? Or, perhaps, forgotten to factor the unspoken DNA [used metaphorically here] of one’s social contract?

Maybe I’m wrong. After all, behavior can be influenced by crowds, despite one’s potential genetic propensity. Having just seen this video, I see there are 628 views, 14 thumbs’ up and 1 down. The only comment…is positive. I’ll add my own; I would rather not vote, but have a conversation. One final question: would this mean that my polygenic score indicates a non-committal gene?

[piotrsmierzwa]

I do wonder how R. Plomin's research squares with discoveries of epigenetics. And would really love an answer from the Professor.

[AndrewNiccol]

The world of GATTACA is become to reality.

[evolutionrhythm]

So do humans have free will?
or do the genes give humans a false sense of having autonomy whilst they motivate us to reproduce them? (not that I'm complaining as it's a very pleasant genetic manipulation ;-)..

Well generally speaking you have no free will!. From the moment you were born you were destined to become a human (all things being equal/healthy) & you had no choice where you were born, what you were named etc etc etc & you will never be a fish (too late for that your genes "decided" for you). Of more interest is actual psychology.e.g. Are racists (fascists etc) predetermined due to having a cognitive predisposition to lack empathy towards people whom are genetically less similar to them? ( inclusive fitness). And it only seems superficially that racists parents bring up ( nurture) racists offspring when in fact the sweet racist children inherit that form of behavior. As Robert Plomin points out the evidence suggests no such black or white answer exists as most phenotypic traits are developed by a combination of thousands of genes (inc the recombination/reshuffling of inherited parental genes) plus how the environment effects those genetic possibilities. e.g. A person whom tends to be on the lower percentile for feeling empathy towards out group members may only become racists (extreme) due to an environmental trigger. This trigger could be actual personal (human to human) life events or simply a person being manipulated, on for example digital media, into taking on the views of a politically motivated ideological group.

[justin_]

Clearly a very clever man, and he has the resources at hand to examine DNA. Did he have free will to do this or was it in his DNA before hand to take this course in life? Personally, I feel we all have free will! A degree of physical traits/Genetic disorders can be passed on through DNA, but to say that we have no free will is preposterous. I am only viewing this because I have a 17 year old niece who after reading the book feels life has no real meaning! subsequently whats the point in living!

[georgechristiansen]

Blueprint is a poor choice. He has clearly never made of used them. A blueprint tells you exactly what you will get.

I think DNA is more like a choose your won adventure book. You have choices, but you cannot choose anything you want.