Utah Genetic Science Learning

Epigenetic Influences on Personality Development [WLO: 1] [CLOs: 1, 2, 4]

Prior to beginning work on this discussion forum, watch the film DNA is Not Destiny: How the Outside Gets Under the Skin (Links to an external site.), read the Hurley (2013) Trait Vs. Fate (Links to an external site.), read the Gartstein and Skinner (2018) Prenatal Influences on Temperament Development: The Role of Environmental Epigenetics (Links to an external site.), read the Buso, Andrei, and Popescu (2020) Allostatic Neuroplasticity and Epigenetic Mechanisms in Personality Development (Links to an external site.), and review the University of Utah Genetic Science Learning Center’s Lick Your Rats (Links to an external site.). The recommended resources also provide additional information on these topics that may be helpful.

In this week’s required resources, you learned that while genes have a lot to say about who we are, environmental factors, particularly parental behavior, can shape the behavior of offspring on a biochemical level. In your initial post of a minimum of 450 words:

Briefly describe the research that has been done with rat mothers to illustrate this phenomenon.
- Be specific about the maternal behaviors and correlated biochemical changes to their offspring. This section demonstrates that you understand what research has been conducted and what the results mean, so be sure to go beyond quoting.
Name three things from the film DNA is Not Destiny: How the Outside Gets Under the Skin (Links to an external site.): one that surprised you, one that frustrated you, and one that inspired you to look deeper into this topic.
Explain the implications of the research on parental behavior and environmental factors as they relate to human personality development. Be sure to cite all the required sources in your initial post.