Genes and psychology in the news

This article critiques the way that news articles report the relationship between genes and psychological processes. The news frequently reports that genes cause various psychological processes. However, these claims rest upon unscientific data; selective use of data (ignoring contradictory data); failure to consider just how the physical properties of genes and their by-products (e.g., neurotransmitters) could or could not control psychological phenomena; misconstruing the nature of psychological phenomena; specious arguments; and unwarranted leaps of faith. Consequently, the causal conclusion is unwarranted, and news reports misinform the public about this vital issue. The author delineates an alternative theory of the relation between biology and psychology which explains why genes may correlate with psychological processes without causing, or predisposing, them.