The discussion of the role an individual's genetics play in their personality and development has been debated for decades. The question of nature versus nurture is at the heart of behavioral genetics. Nature involves natural variations in brain structures and unique inherited personality traits. On the other hand, upbringing involves the influence of factors outside of an individual's genetic makeup, such as: family, culture, and traumatic experiences. However, some natural genes are activated by certain environmental factors. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on 'Why violent video games should not be banned'?Get the original essayA University of Queensland researcher collaborated with VU University Amsterdam to examine twin studies conducted across worldwide since the 1960s, involving approximately 14.5 million pairs. of twin subjects. The results, published in Nature Genetics, demonstrate that genetics contribute to 49 percent of the average variation in traits and diseases and that 51 percent is influenced by environmental factors. The results revealed that researchers should view this as a relationship between nature and nurture rather than nature versus nurture. Although environmental factors generally influence personality traits independently of genes, genetic and environmental factors are often closely linked. In some cases, the environment changes the DNA sequence of a gene's activity level. Phenotypic plasticity refers to a specific genotype capable of producing different phenotypes in response to different environmental factors. This often impacts an individual's physical health. For example, UV rays can disrupt DNA strands and lead to higher risks of melanoma. However, recent studies have found that certain environmental factors can cause a change in the epigenome, the chemical labels attached to DNA. The epigenome determines the activity level of certain genes and fine-tunes the amount of proteins created in an individual's body. Factors such as diet, stress, and social experiences can all have potential effects on an individual's epigenome. Specifically, early exposure to social experiences and a positive childhood growth environment can have significant and lifelong beneficial effects on a person's personality traits. Environmental factors often influence each other and the interactions between different factors are very complex. Scientists continue to study the interconnected relationships between certain environmental factors and personal development. Tim Wardle's 2018 documentary Three Identical Strangers is a timely depiction of the surprising ways in which genes and environment interact to shape individuals. The film tells the story of identical triplets born in 1961 and adopted into different families. The era in which children were born (the 1950s and 1960s) was known as the Wild West of psychology, where people pushed the boundaries of psychological investigation. Psychiatrist Dr. Peter B. Neubauner used these children as guinea pigs for his research aimed at uncovering the mystery between nature and nurture. The study was carried out as part of a scientific "nature versus nurture" twin study that aimed to track the development of genetically identical siblings raised in different family circumstances. The three siblings were intentionally placed. 2020].