In the study of human behavior, which concept best describes the interaction between genetic inheritance (nature) and environmental influences (nurture)?

• A. Environmental determinism, which claims that behavior is entirely shaped by external surroundings
• B. Epigenetics, which explores how environmental factors can affect gene expression without altering the DNA sequence
• C. Behaviorism, which focuses only on observable behaviors and ignores genetic factors
• D. Genetic determinism, which states that behavior is solely determined by genes

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the key terms involved in the problem: 'genetic inheritance (nature)' refers to the biological and genetic factors passed down from parents, while 'environmental influences (nurture)' refer to external factors such as upbringing, culture, and experiences.
2. Step 2: Recognize that the problem asks for a concept that explains the interaction between these two factors, not one that focuses exclusively on either genetics or environment.
3. Step 3: Review the definitions of the options: Environmental determinism claims behavior is shaped only by environment; Behaviorism focuses on observable behavior and ignores genetics; Genetic determinism claims behavior is solely determined by genes; Epigenetics studies how environmental factors influence gene expression without changing the DNA sequence.
4. Step 4: Identify that Epigenetics uniquely addresses the dynamic interaction between genes and environment by showing how environmental factors can modify gene expression, thus bridging nature and nurture.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the concept best describing the interaction between genetic inheritance and environmental influences is Epigenetics, as it explains how environment can affect genetic expression without altering the underlying DNA.