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Article: Behavior, Genetic Basis of
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Behavior, Genetic Basis of
A debate raged throughout the twentieth century, and probably will continue, about the relative influences of heredity and experience on human behavior. Behavioral scientists today largely regard this "nature versus nurture" debate as an outmoded dichotomy. Most scientists now believe that behavior results from a combination of these influences, never entirely from one or the other.
Genetic Influences in Animal Behavior
Clearly,
genes
significantly influence animal behavior. This is the only reasonable conclusion in cases where animals born and reared in isolation nevertheless develop age-appropriate, species-specific behaviors that they could not have ...