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Report

Determinism Leavened by Will Power: The Challenge of Closing the Gaps Between the Public and Expert Explanations of Gene-Environment Interaction

Epigenetics has important implications for health policy - but lay perceptions of genetics are out of step with current science. This study pinpoints the gaps.
Author
Nat Kendall-Taylor , Chris McCollum
Published
March 3, 2009
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Looking at qualitative data gathered from interviews with scientists and members of the American general public, this report maps the gaps between how Americans think and experts talk about the determinants of individual outcomes and differences, and the importance of genes and environments in how children develop. These gaps represent specific challenges in communicating about the relationship between genes and environments.