Dandelions & Orchids

An article in The Wall Street Journal from September proves that the nature-nurture debate is still as relevant as it's always been. The basic question underlying the whole debate is, to what extent are we the product of genetics and to what extent are we the product of the environment?

What makes us human? And how much of those differences and traits can we attribute to the environment or to genetics?

These questions have been widely debated for hundreds of years, and now scientists and researchers are looking at the question from a new angle. Why do some people seem to be more sensitive to the environment than others? For example, why do some people get sick while others do not? Why do some kids act out while others do not?

Researchers have found that our genetics, specifically the nervous system, is what determines how sensitive we are to the environment. So I guess this would mean that they are taking the "nature AND nurture" approach. A variation in a gene called DRD4, which helps to regulate dopamine (the neurotransmitter that I wrote my previous blog on--which helps to regulate motivation and pleasure) in the brain. Evidence found by these researchers suggest that people who produce less dopamine "wilt under poor conditions but flourish in supportive climates." These kinds of people are called orchids.

For example, a study done in 2010 by the journal, Child Development proved that kids who show strong biological and hormonal responses to stress when they come from a difficult home or school environment  (the worst outcomes in difficult environments) also have the best outcomes in positive environments. When they are put in a positive school and home environment, they flourish the most. These kids are orchids, the ones who are most sensitive to their environment.

People who aren't affected by their environment, whether it is a negative or positive one, are known as dandelions.

Studies have shown that 30% of Caucasians are orchids, which is genetically proven as a result of the genetic variation of the DRD4. A more recent study done in August was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences showed the affects the economy has on mothers' parenting. The study basically showed that mothers with a certain genetic variation (the orchids) were more likely to be harsher (yelling, cursing) as the economy plunged. These same mothers, however, parented much less harshly then dandelion mothers when the economy was improving in the 2000s.

While not everyone is either a dandelion or an orchid, we all seem to be have the qualities of one or the other to varying degrees. So, whats the purpose of all of this? Why does it really matter if we are an orchid or a dandelion? The researchers claim that these studies prove that "one size does not fit all" when it comes to dealing with people, especially kids. When trying to help troubled adolescents, treatment will probably vary depending on if the kid is more of an orchid or a dandelion.

In any case, these studies prove how much of an effect dopamine has on us. It doesn't just effect how happy we're feeling, but it interacts with the environment too in order to regulate our mood. This just further proves that our genetics interact with the environment. Nature and nurture work together, and that's what makes us who we are.