My, this discussion is beginning to sound like the first week in a developmental psych class where we talk about the nature-nurture argument and we seem to be coming to a resolution with an estimate around the 60/40 compromise that a number of developmental psychologists seem to hover around. This is where I talk about the reality that there is no ethical way that this can be dealt with in an experiment, so the argument may never be settled. Interesting discussion, however. Thanks for the exhibits Stephen, it will provide a good start for an outstanding student to write a very good paper.
> >So what we have here is a need for evidence. I search PubMed. > >Exhibit 1 > >Lucia et al (2010). Elite athletes: are the genes the champions? >International Journal of Sports Physiological Performance, 5, 98-102. > >"Athletic champion status is a complex polygenic trait... we believe >that factors beyond genetic endowment are likely to have a stronger >influence in the attainment of athletic champion status. > >Genes, yes, but they also suggest that "factors beyond genetic >endownment" are stronger than genes. That "we believe" is worrisome, >'tho. > >Exhibit 2 > >Macarthur, D. and North, K. (2005). Genes and human elite athletic >performance. Human Genetics, 116, 331-9. > >"Physical fitness is a complex phenotype influenced by a myriad of >environmental and genetic factors, and variation in human physical >performance and athletic ability has long been recognised as having a >strong heritable component" > >Exhibit 3 > >Brutsaert TD, Parra EJ. (2006). What makes a champion? Explaining >variation in human athletic performance. Respir Physiol Neurobiol. >28;151(2-3):109-23. > >"Human physiological trait variance has both an environmental and >genetic basis, although the classic gene-environment dichotomy is >clearly too simplistic to understand the full range of variation for >most proximate determinants of athletic performance, e.g., body >composition. In other words, gene and environment interact" > >Exhibit 4 > >Trent RJ, Yu B. (2009). The future of genetic research in exercise >science and sports medicine.Med Sport Sci. 2009;54:187-95. > >"There are many interacting genes involved in athletic performance. >This class of genes is often described as 'complex' and the mode of >inheritance is called 'multifactorial" > >Exhibit 5 > >Ostrander EA, Huson HJ, Ostrander GK. (2009).Genetics of athletic >performance. Annu Rev Genomics Hum Genet. 2009;10:407-29. > >"Elite athletes, and what separates them from the average competitor, >have been the subjects of discussion and debate for decades. While >training, diet, and mental fitness are all clearly important >contributors to achieving athletic success, the fact that individuals >reaching the pinnacle of their chosen sports often share both >physical and physiological attributes suggests a role for genetics" > >Exhibit 6 > >Gonzalez-Freire M et al (2009).Unique among unique. Is it genetically >determined? Br J Sports Med. 2009 Apr;43(4):307-9. > >"A favourable genetic endowment, together with exceptional >environmental factors (years of altitude living and training in this >case), seems to be necessary to attain the highest possible level of >running endurance performance." > >Exhibit 7 > >This last one is of particular interest, because it's the only one to >give a numerical value for the contribution of genes and environment. >It's a study of MZ and DZ twins. > >De Moor MH et al (2007). Genome-wide linkage scan for athlete status >in 700 British female DZ twin pairs. Twin Res Hum Genet. 10(6):812- >20. > >"Using structural equation modeling... the heritability of athlete >status was estimated at 66%" [i.e. 2/3 genes; 1/3 environment to >explain variation in human athletic status] > >Overall, the score is Jim 7, Joan 0 on the question of the existence >of a genetic contribution to athletic performance. The last study >cited provides data suggesting that the genetic contribution is the >greater. > >Stephen > >-------------------------------------------- >Stephen L. Black, Ph.D. >Professor of Psychology, Emeritus >Bishop's University >Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada >e-mail: >sblack at ubishops.ca > >--------------------------------------------- > >--- >You are currently subscribed to tips as: drb...@rcn.com. >To unsubscribe click here: >http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13185.d5346723901d967ccc167929e2ee94ad&n=T&l=tips&o=7698 >or send a blank email to >leave-7698-13185.d5346723901d967ccc167929e2ee9...@fsulist.frostburg.edu . Robert W. Wildblood, PhD Adjunct Psychology Faculty Germanna Community College drb...@rcn.com --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: arch...@jab.org. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=7707 or send a blank email to leave-7707-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
