How Are Genes Related to Culture? An Introduction to the Field of Cultural Genomics

This chapter highlights research in the emergent field of cultural genomics, the study of the interplay of genes, culture, and environments, and the multiple ways in which cultural experiences are influenced by, affect, and covary with the genome and the environment to shape behavior, cognition, and development. This chapter affirms the importance of conducting research in this area, and examines three different levels of analysis in cultural genomics research: social, developmental, and evolutionary. Different types of interplay between genes, cultures, and environments are discussed, including cultural effects on genes or cultural epigenomics (C→→>G), genetic effects on culture (G→→>C), gene-culture interactions (GxC), gene-culture correlations (rGC), gene-culture-niche interplay (GxCxN), and the developmental effects of gene-environment on culture (dcGE). We provide examples from the research literature of each of these types. Some of the problems with current research are examined, and conclusions and future directions are presented.