gene expression is based on context
The news continues to report that genes are the causes of this or that. Our first instinct is to label the particular gene as “good” or “bad” depending on what it is said to manifest. This gene causes alcoholism. That gene causes obesity. And that other gene causes depression. They’re just bad. Psychologists call this the “diathesis-stress model.” If you have a “bad” gene and encounter problems in life, you’re predisposed to end up with a disorder like depression, so pray you don’t have that terrible gene that can turn you into an anxiety ridden recluse. The problem is, this line of thought is wrong.
Recent discoveries in genetics have turned the bad vs. good genetics model upside-down and everything is now pointing to environmental context. Psychologists call it “differential susceptibility hypothesis.” Those same genes that led to bad manifestations can be blunted or reversed by changing inputs stemming from your lifestyle. For example, the same knife that can be used to maliciously stab someone can also prepare food for you. Whether the knife is good or bad relies on the input.
More specifically, most people have a normal DRD4 gene, but some have a variant called DRD4-7R. That extra 7R has been associated with ADHD, alcoholism, and violence. It’s thought of as a “bad” gene. Yet, in a study done by Ariel Knafo that looked into which kids would share candy without be being asked, it was found that 3 year olds who had the 7R variant were more likely to share, than those without the “bad” variant. Why were the kids with the “bad” gene so inclined to help, even when they weren’t being asked? Because 7R isn’t inherently “bad”. Like the knife, it’s reliant on context. 7R kids who were raised in rough environments, who were abused or neglected, were more likely to become alcoholics and bullies. But 7R kids who received good parenting were seen kinder than kids who had the standard DRD4 gene. Context and environmental input can make all the difference.