Gene-environment correlations vs. interactions (review)

Question 1

Gene-environment interaction

Answer 1

Your genetic makeup interacts with environmental exposure to predict an outcome
Ex: the association between childhood maltreatment (environment) and the outcome (development of antisocial behavior) is different depending on the genetic vulnerability. Genes moderate the association between exposure to environmental stressors and the psychological outcome
Genes affect how people respond to the environment
NOT A CORRELATION
People with different levels of genetic vulnerability will respond differently to the same stressor
Moderation analysis
Genes moderate how susceptible people are to environmental stressors
Ex: some people in the towers during 9/11 did not develop PTSD and some people did. Why? Moderated by genes.

Question 2

Gene-environment correlation

Answer 2

Association between two variables
Ex: As genetic risk increases, environmental risk also increases
They are dependent
Most people are raised by their biological parents (people who give them their genes). Ex: if genetic vulnerability to being aggressive, so parents likely have that same vulnerability, and the parents also parent in a way that is more aggressive. Which can amplify the genetic effect. Because not only genetically vulnerable, but also growing up in an environment that is because of your genes (from your parents) going to make you potentially more aggressive yourself.
Usually assumption that genes are causally affecting the environment rather than the opposite

Types of correlations:
* Passive
- The same people who give you your genes often give you your
environment (at least early on)
-Passive because doesn’t depend on things the child does. Ex: genetic predisposition to being anxious from your parents. And your parents (who are anxious) parent you in an anxious way
* Active (niche-picking)
- As people grow older, they have a greater role in choosing their
environments (“genes have feet”)
-seeking environment
* Evocative (reactive)
- People are often treated differently as a function of their underlying
genotype
-Ex: height elicits different responses from people