Episode 17: Nature vs Nurture - Interview with Robert Plomin

Thinking Tools Podcast Episode 17 - Nature vs nurture. Genes vs environment. DNA vs life experience. What makes us who we are?  In Episode 17 of the Thinking Tools Podcast, I speak with Dr. Robert Plomin about his 2018 book, “Blueprint: How DNA Makes Us Who We Are.” Dr. Plomin is Professor in Behavioural Genetics at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London. He has published more than 900 papers and is the author of the major textbook in the field as well as a dozen other books. He has received lifetime research achievement awards from all the major societies in the behavioral sciences, as well as being made Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, British Academy, American Academy of Political and Social Science, and Academy of Medical Sciences (UK). In 2021, he received the Grawemeyer Award for Psychology. After 50 years of research, he has come to the view that inherited DNA differences are the major systematic force that makes us who we are as individuals – our mental health and illness, our personality and our cognitive abilities and disabilities. The environment is important, but it works completely different from the way we thought it worked. The DNA revolution has made it possible to use DNA to predict our psychological problems and promise from birth. These advances in genetic research call for a radical rethink about what makes us who we are, with sweeping, and no doubt controversial, implications for the way we think about parenting, education and the events that shape our lives. This is the theme of his book, Blueprint: How DNA Makes Us Who We Are (Allen Lane, 2018; Penguin Press, 2019). -- With this newsletter, I want to connect with you and give you exclusive content that I think will be beneficial or interesting. Every one of them will contain the following five items: 1. A fascinating fact about the human brain 2. Science-based productivity and happiness tips 3. My thoughts about life, culture, or current events 4. A book recommendation 5. A thought-provoking quote Connect, Follow and Subscribe! Sign up for the video version: https://mailchi.mp/d76edf98390b/sense-of-mind-newsletter-sign-up-page Link to all of our video newsletters: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC92ipyM9i9L_9yna8Jn6eM5RSQmNbSJj Subscribe to the Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC610T-s8gpOVDtAVXTZ35FQ Website: www.Senseofmindshow.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sense.ofmind/ Linktree: https://linktr.ee/senseofmind By the way, the newsletter is 100% free, it has zero ads, and I will NEVER sell or give your information to third parties. Please follow, share and subscribe if you found this helpful, thanks for listening! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/senseofmind/support