***** Vol.3 Chap.21 Nature versus nurture *****
After the individual presentations, Chris, the session chair, opened the floor to questions and comments.
“I know many of you have questions and comments for our speakers, therefore we set up two microphones on both sides of the room halfway down the aisle.”
Chris pointed to the two microphones. Before he spoke again, people were already lining up behind the microphones.
“We will take turns fielding questions alternately from these two microphones. I would like to ask that before you speak, tell us who you are and whom you are affiliated with. Also, tell us who you are addressing the question to.”
Chris looked at his watch. “I guess there are still thirty minutes left for questions and answers. Let us start with the speaker at the microphone on my left.”
“John Young from Johns Hopkins. I am intrigued by both talks this morning. The first speaker seemed to suggest that violent behavior is predetermined by genetics and chance, while the second speaker seemed to suggest that violent behavior results from environmental constraints and the imbalance of life forces in the body. This is the traditional debate between nature and nurture. I would like to ask each of the speakers to respond to the other speaker’s point of view.”
“That is a loaded question, John,” Chris interjected, “but an excellent question indeed. Frank, how about let’s start with you? Could you summarize your thoughts in a minute or less, and May-Ling, the same?”
Frank leaned forward and adjusted the microphone in front of him. He pulled it forward toward him, stalling for a few precious seconds while he planned his answers.
“Dr. Young, before I begin, I would like to say that my results were extremely preliminary and, in fact, I have not even developed a hypothesis. We tested a mathematical formulation only in one specific case and there was an undeniable correlation between the genetic code and the expressed behavior. We know that there was a correlation, and we were not even sure that this was a cause-and-effect relationship.”
“Throughout the talk, I repeatedly say that there was an apparent correlation, and obviously we wanted to run a lot more cases to confirm or deny if there was indeed a correlation between the expressed behavior and the inherited genetic code. Throughout the talk, we were careful in using the word tendency in contrast to actual behavior.”
“We could not say that the genes we worked with relate definitely to violent behavior, nor were we able to say that violent behavior can be traced to these genes. We were only saying that there was an apparent correlation between violent tendencies and the coding in the sections of the gene for our case.”
It was now May-Ling’s turn. She had a little time to plan her results. She leaned forward and spoke into the microphone.
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“Thank you, Dr. Young, for your question. I feel both nature and nurture play a role. I firmly believe that there is an innate disposition that governs our initial behavior, but on a long run, as a person develops, both the environment and the person himself or herself also play a major role in determining the outcome. The more a person matures, the more we can control our disposition and our environment as well.”
“The lady to my right?” Chris was enjoying his emcee duties.
“I am Marilyn Dunbar from Penn State. This question is directed at the first speaker. Dr. Abdulcizi. Have you investigated other parts of the genetic code? Are violent tendencies, as you called it, carried in the sex related gene?”
Laughter broke out on the floor.
“Dr. Dunbar, unfortunately the answer is no on both counts. We only had time to develop our results on multiple sections of the genetic code. But be sure that our lab is running programs right now even as we speak to refine the sections of genetic code. As to the answer to your second question, I have got bad news for you. Sorry, the genetic segments we worked on are from all chromosomes. So, I can only conclude that violent tendency is a trait possible for all genders.”
“Thomas Carr from UCLA. This question is for Doctor Chen. You mentioned that the acupuncture treatment is only temporary. How temporary is the treatment, and is it possible to find a permanent cure?”
“Thank you for the question, Dr. Carr. These are good points. In our treatment, we found that the procedure only suppressed violent behaviors for a week. So, patients would need to come in for treatment every week. If the patient missed the treatment, we knew that the patient would revert to their earlier behavior rather quickly.”
“What about a permanent cure?”
“I would love to find a permanent cure; however, I don’t know of any right now.”
May-Ling was not about to divulge what she was working on using herbal medicines. Besides, there was no telling whether she would succeed at all.
“John Smith from Mass Gen. Dr. Abdulcizi, do you think we can genetically eliminate violent tendencies?”
“Perhaps. That would be utopia if we can do that. But right now, it is too early to tell. I would say that would certainly be the ultimate goal of this type of research. But I must leave the honor of genetic manipulations to others more qualified than myself.”
“Michelle Felt from Illinois. Doctor Chen, you mentioned that both nature and nurture play a role in determining a person’s behavior. Would you care to comment on the degree of influences each play in a person’s life?”
“First, I must admit that I am not a developmental psychologist. I am only a simple medical doctor who is practicing acupuncture. My personal feeling is that while nature plays a significant role in pre-disposing our initial behavior, our final behavior can be controlled, suppressed, or expressed.”
She took a breath, then continued.
“We learn to keep quiet in some situations and to speak up at others. This shows that the expressed behavior does not just come from the innate desire to talk or not to talk, but also comes from learned experiences telling us when to talk and when not to talk.”
She took a quick sip of the water.
“Hence, one who is talkative must learn when not to talk; while one who is quiet must learn when to talk. In the eventual outcome, we can achieve what we want to be or learn to be.”
Chris stood up again, applauding.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I am afraid the time for this session is over. I know many of you still have many questions for our speakers, but unfortunately, we must keep to the schedule. I take this opportunity to thank the speakers for such enlightening talks. I must also thank the audience for coming and taking part in the session. Let’s give the speakers and all participants an enormous hand.”
Chris applauded, and everyone followed.
“We will now conclude our session. The conference committee arranged for refreshments in the lobby. Please help yourself.”