POLL: Genetic bases

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A simple poll.

EDIT: HB probably makes a good point; when I say a strong genetic basis, that is, a genetic basis that is very stastically significant in determining intelligence, sexual orientation, or gaming.

[ September 26, 2005, 05:19: Message edited by: Oaz ]

Poll Information
This poll contains 3 question(s). 28 user(s) have voted.
You may not view the results of this poll without voting.

Poll Results: Genetic bases (28 votes.)

There is a genetic basis for intelligence (Choose 1)
* Strongly agree - 46% (13)
* Somewhat agree - 39% (11)
* Neutral - 7% (2)
* Somewhat disagree - 7% (2)
* Strongly disagree - 0% (0)

There is a genetic basis for homosexuality (Choose 1)
* Strongly agree - 14% (4)
* Somewhat agree - 39% (11)
* Neutral - 18% (5)
* Somewhat disagree - 7% (2)
* Strongly disagree - 21% (6)

There is a genetic basis for an inclination to play computer RPG's (Choose 1)
* Strongly agree - 7% (2)
* Somewhat agree - 21% (6)
* Neutral - 32% (9)
* Somewhat disagree - 14% (4)
* Strongly disagree - 25% (7)

 

IIRC, the intelligence/genetics link has already been proven (with the disclaimer that environment has a great effect as well).

Homosexuality: I doubt it. Preferences are based on chemical response to stimuli, which takes place in the brain. If homosexuality wer based on a gene mutation, I'd think you'd see considerably less of it.

CRPGs: Again preference; this time about what type of game you play. I doubt they would find more than a minimal correlation.

 

Given that EVERYTHING is genetic in some way, the answer has to be yes.

In reality, the situation is far too complex because most of the characteristics you are asking about are the result of a complex interaction of genetic and environmental factors which would be very difficult to unravel.

 

1. Strongly agree.
2. Strongly agree.
3. Somewhat agree. Of course there is not a gene for playing computer games, but playing computer games might as well be the result of a predisposed natural condition - determined by genetics - that ensues a social behaviour that leads to excessive gaming. Of course I am talking about the typical addict gamer, not the casual. Surely the enviroment should take a role as well here.

 

I do think that 1 and 3 have something to do with one another.

An RPG (I would put an RTS more-or-less in the same category though) requires a long attention span (dialogues, an actual plot with subplots, the ability to neglect RL for quite some time ...), great imagination, sensitivity, curiosity (someone just interested in killing as many monsters as he/she can goes Diablo instead) and a certain form of effort. Now there's where the actual attribute of intelligence comes in. The former qualities were more qualities that "intelligent" people have in common, but being intelligent itself just makes the effort less big. it's just easier to figure out the rules (and the language for those that don't have the games in their mother tongue.)

Simplest way of explaining it: compare SP to any FPS forum.

So, since intelligence is genetically determined for at least a large part, being an RPG player must also be affected by the genes in some degree.

[ September 26, 2005, 20:41: Message edited by: Uytuun ]

 

These are all perfect examples of the "Gun and bullet" analogy. If genetics is the gun, and environment is the bullet, it takes both to fire. Basically, genetics provides a whole bunch of possibilities, or opportunities. Environment provides for much of the selection of possibilities. There's always that random factor, though. Almost makes one think that human behavior may be determined by something more.
Also, who's pointing the gun?

 

I don't think there's much chance of any solid genetic base for homosexuality, in so far as anything can be untouched by genes, but even if there is some, it doesn't change my opinion on homosexuality as regards it being normal, acceptable or desirable or not. In the presence of genetically transferrable diseases, it's hard to maintain a claim that whatever passes along with genes is natural and good.

As for intelligence... well, intelligence levels do seem to be similar in families. My brother has almost my exact IQ and mother seems to have the same. Father (who is not my brother's father) also seems to fall close and if I had to guess my brother's father's IQ, it would be somewhere there. Perhaps there are some genetically transferred traits that affect the way brains work and people think, thus affecting such measures of intelligence as IQ (it's only a measure of a set of specific abilities, after all).

As for RPGs, RPGs take a certain type of person to play, which means certain traits and qualities. As Uytuun said, intelligence and creativity matters here, as well as the willingness to be cut from real life for prolonged periods of time, perhaps some forms of problem solving. Those can be genetic, so it looks like genes can justify your SP addiction to some extent.

 

I think there is a genetic basis for almost every observable trait. However, there is no "gaming gene", "gay gene", or "intelligence gene". Yes, studies have shown that intelligent parents tend to have intelligent children. But this is not a given. It is entirely possible to have children who are significantly more or less intelligent than both parents. And that's true of anything.

Take height for example. Most of the time, the adult height of a child can be predicted based upon other members of his family and most specifically, his parents. Of course, it doesn't always work that way. I'll use my family as an example. All the men in my family are between 5'6" and 5'10" tall, and all the women are between 5'1" and 5'4" tall. All that is, except one of my brothers. He is 6'2" tall. He is significantly outside of what would be expected looking at our parents (dad is 5'8", mom is 5'3"). The point being is just like height, things like intelligence and being gay are likely based upon a great number of different genes. The mechanism of which they operate in conjuction with one another is yet to be elucidated.

 

That's easily explained by dominant and recessive alleles, although I think professionals amongst us could provide a less easy explanation.

 

Genetics doesn't get as simple as Mendel (consider blood type). Genes might be ostensibly simple, but in genetics, these layers upon layers of simplicity will result in more than a little complexity.

 

Eactly Oaz. Using my height example above, we think there are 7 different genes that control height. There really isn't a dominant/recessive framework to use with it. But you get 7 genes from each parent (14 total) of which the gene can cause you to grow taller or not. So someone who received 14 grow taller genes would be very tall, whereas someone who had 14 don't grow taller genes would be very short. Obviously, there are more than 14 different sizes of humans on the planet, but that's when nutrition and other environmental factors come into play. It's likely that your genes would provide you with a theoretical maximum height you can attain, and nutrition and environment dictate how close you get to that maximum.

 

Strongly agree on all counts. Harbourboy is correct, there is a genetic basis for all three. Whether the environment allows these genes to be expressed is another matter, but the genes are there.