A top behavioral geneticist argues DNA inherited from our parents at conception can predict our psychological strengths and weaknesses.This “modern classic” on genetics and nature vs. nurture is “one of the most direct and unapologetic takes on the topic ever written” (Boston Review).In Blueprint, behavioral geneticist Robert Plomin describes how the DNA revolution has made DNA personal by giving us the power to predict ou...

**'A clear and engaging explanation of one of the hottest fields in science' Steven Pinker'A hugely important book' Matt Ridley, The TimesOne of the world's top behavioural geneticists argues that we need a radical rethink about what makes us who we are**The blueprint for our individuality lies in the 1% of DNA that differs between people. Our intellectual capacity, our introversion or extraversion, our vulnerability to mental illness, even whether we are a ...

A top behavioral geneticist makes the case that DNA inherited from our parents at the moment of conception can predict our psychological strengths and weaknesses.In Blueprint, behavioral geneticist Robert Plomin describes how the DNA revolution has made DNA personal by giving us the power to predict our psychological strengths and weaknesses from birth. A century of genetic research shows that DNA differences inherited from our parents are the consistent l...

Originally published in 1984, this title looks at the development of temperament in early life. At the time of publication there were three major perspectives on temperament: paediatrics, individual differences in infants, and inherited personality traits that appear in early life. Whatever the diversity of these perspectives, they converge on personality traits that develop early in life, hence the title of this book. The authors start by looking at the main research in this field, then g...

One of the most notable findings in contemporary behavior genetics is that children growing up in the same family are not very comparable. Findings suggest that in order to understand individual differences between siblings it is necessary to examine not only the shared experiences but also the differences in experiences of children growing up in the same family. In the past decade a group of investigators has begun to examine the contributions of genetics, and both shared and nonshared en...

First Published in 1986. The modern history of temperament research began in the late 1950s with the New York Longitudinal Study. Twenty-five years later, temperament has become a major focus of research on early developing emotional and social traits. The impetus for this growth in temperament research stems from the merging of several shifts in child development research: from a view of the child as passive to a model of the child as an active, transacting partner with the environment; i...

G is for Genes shows how a dialogue between geneticists and educationalists can have beneficial results for the education of all children—and can also benefit schools, teachers, and society at large.Draws on behavioral genetic research from around the world, including the UK-based Twins’ Early Development Study (TEDS), one of the largest twin studies in the worldOffers a unique viewpoint by bringing together genetics and education, disciplines with a histor...

Penguin presents the audiobook edition of Blueprint written and read by Robert Plomin.The blueprint for our individuality lies in the 1% of DNA that differs between people. Our intellectual capacity, our introversion or extraversion, our vulnerability to mental illness, even whether we are a morning person - all of these aspects of our personality are profoundly shaped by our inherited DNA differences.In Blueprint, Robert Plomin, a pioneer...

“Democracy came into the Western World to the tune of sweet, soft music. There was, at the start, no harsh bawling from below; there was only a dulcet twittering from above.”When H. L. Mencken wrote Notes on Democracy the country was coping with the aftermath of World War I, contending with Prohibition, and watching the Scopes trial play out; the air of the nation was full of paranoia and intolerance. And while it may seem that certain views and statements in the book are dated and...

“A delightful compendium of the kind of facts you immediately want to share with anyone you encounter . . . . Simon Winchester has firmly earned his place in history . . . as a promulgator of knowledge of every variety, perhaps the last of the famous explorers who crisscrossed the now-vanished British Empire and reported what they found to an astonished world.” — New York TimesFrom the creation of the first encyclopedia to Wikipedia, from ancient m...

**THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER**'Truly fascinating'DAILY TELEGRAPH'Acute, mind-opening, highly accessible - this book doesn't just explain how our lives might pan out, it helps us live better'BETTANY HUGHES'A humane and highly readable account of the neuroscience that underpins our ideas of free will and fate'PROFESSOR DAVID RUNCIMANSo many of us belie...

A GUARDIAN , ECONOMIST, NEW STATESMAN, FINANCIAL TIMES AND BLOOMBERG BOOK OF THE YEAR'I loved it.' MICHAEL POLLAN'Fascinating.' FINANCIAL TIMES'Awe-inspring.' NEW STATESMAN'Brilliant.' CLAIRE TOMALIN, NEW YORK TIMES'A brilliant beast of a book.' DAVID BYRNE'H...