Managing our differing instincts

I have observed elsewhere that we can learn much by observing the habits of man's best friend.

Different breeds of dogs have instinctive behaviours governed by their genes.

You could try to use a Scottish Terrier to round up sheep, but with uncertain prospects for success. The terrier was bred to hunt animals living underground. Genes for going to earth and killing small animals provide the terrier with its instincts.

Our human ancestors selectively bred basic behaviours from the wolf into different breeds of tame dogs.

Members of wolf packs run on either side of animal herds, rounding them up ready for the kill. In sheepdogs, genes for the rounding behaviour have been encouraged through selective breeding but genes for killing have been suppressed.

There is often scepticism about genetic inheritance governing human beings - after all, humans have not been systematically subject to selective breeding. Humans, however, are animals. And genetic and psychological research is telling us that each of us has much of our behaviour governed by our genetic inheritance.

Genetics undoubtedly are important in humans.

Disagree? Well, have a look at these pictures of Olympic finals.

Clearly genes prevalent in African peoples lead their owners to develop increased muscle. The result is that people with these genes are excellent sprinters (and boxers). Genetics determines that the eight sprinters in the Olympic final are of African ethnicity.

Extra muscle, however, lowers buoyancy so people with African genes make poor competitive swimmers. Hence, in complete contrast to sprinting, there are extremely few world class African swimmers.

So clearly there are genetic considerations to be taken in account of in human performance.

Evidence from the Olympics teaches us that human physical talents are governed by genetics. These talents can be enhanced through appropriate training.

Is human behaviour also influenced by our genes? Yes, it must be. Surely we cannot be the only animal whose physical characteristics are determined genetically but whose behaviours and skills are not.

Well documented evidence from studies of identical twins who have lived with separate families from birth shows us there is a strong genetic component in the behaviour of every one of us. Twins who have never known one another tend to end up doing similar jobs, wearing similar types of clothes and marrying similar types of spouse.

Some day medical tests will be able to identify individuals who are genetically predisposed to behaviours we would rather not have in our organisations - behaviours such as bullying, dishonesty and disloyalty. Of course, we are all capable of behaving badly. Some of us though, are more genetically predisposed to undesirable behaviours than others.

For reasons of public distaste and anxiety it is highly unlikely that employers will ever be permitted to use genetic information from the medical laboratory to assess potential employees for their behavioural predispositions.

Joe Lexell
SystemX Research
London U.K.