Social environment activates genes

Research at Stanford University note that the environment, social not chemical, can activate genes. These transform the body sexually changing the entire physiology of the animal.

Perhaps this applies to humans as well. which would alter how we think of the interaction between humans, genetics and evolution.

So - Human behavior may be genetically manipulated by societal environment around Humans??

rather scary and full of possibilities.

quotes:

"responds both behaviorally and by turning on genes that ultimately make him capable of reproducing"

"This finding offers the first direct evidence that changes in social status also trigger cellular and molecular changes in the brain, he adds, which could have significant implications for understanding how other vertebrates, including humans, respond to social information."

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ModeratorPermalink Reply by John on February 23, 2014 at 6:54am

This may help to explain the root of the discussion: Got My Belief! Now Dig in and Fight or Flight

1) people hanging around one type of thinking and behavior may have developed a genetic preference and reaction to a specific environment they are in so they all pick up that same gene expression which has the response we noticed.

2) similar with terrorist leagues and the effect where hanging out with the kidnappers may bring you into alignment with their social environment. I was think especially thinking of the famous case of Patty Hearst.

Twin studies are sometimes divergent. sure explains that one.

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Permalink Reply by David Allen on February 26, 2014 at 1:26am

I would only be guessing as I have no education in this kind of thing.

1) I would think it took longer than that. The way I see it, we create the environment first within ourselves, we support the inward environment in our interactions ( this is like an outward pressure, we are creators) and try to build that environment around us. When the inward environment begins to emerge in our surrounding environment it becomes an external influence (inward pressure), and the inward pressure is what alters our physical bodies. So I don''t think it would be a genetic pattern in a single lifetime time frame, I see it more along the lines of "birds of a feather flock together".

2) My control theory fits here. I think Patty Hurst was put in an environment where capitulation gave her some sense of control, the more she capitulated the safer she was. I think that avenues of outside help were cut off long enough that she quit expecting them to help ( outside help was undependable at best) so she had to adapt her actions to the environment.

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ModeratorPermalink Reply by John on February 26, 2014 at 4:27am

I think we all are guessing. <g>

The speed is apparently variable depending up on several factors unknown. Certainly the cichlids had even physical change (radical) after just a few minutes. Mental changes may be more flexible or not genetic at all (or maybe are genetic).

Some groups have their own megachurches with schools, gyms etc. where a person can be raised in a very tight environment. They may have a lot of time to change. Again it may not be genetic changes. I do not know, It would explain the headset though. Fixed in concrete, almost.

The genetic changes seem to be only activating the "junk genes" that we have in our genetic code per individual. The number of "junk genes: is very high compared to ones we are using. The possibilities seem limited to those genes per individual. The stronger the environment, they may act more quickly.

we are all guessing. The data is not there yet.