ReviewNature reviews. Genetics2023
Genetic determinism, essentialism and reductionism: semantic clarity for contested science.
Review in Nature reviews. Genetics, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 26 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
26 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Pooled it
- Population-Stratified Human Genetic Studies Are Not Eugenics: A Response to Donohue and Myles.Bioethics · 2026Article
- Article
- "Yet the Problem Remains": Why Genetic Determinism Still Haunts Biomedical Research.Bioethics · 2026Article
- Inclusive Biology Curriculum Interventions can Reduce High School Students' Bioessentialist Beliefs.CBE life sciences education · 2026Article
- Early-career-researcher-led best practices for social science and behavioural genetics.Nature human behaviour · 2026Article
- No Argument with Biology? The Effects of Genetic Explanations for Socioeconomic Outcomes on American and Swedish Citizens' Attitudes Towards Government Intervention.Behavior genetics · 2026Article
- From Genomes to Conversations: Outreach and Engagement in Psychiatric Genetics.Behavior genetics · 2026Article
- Exploring early intervention in psychosis (EIP) perspectives towards pharmacogenomics (PGx) implementation to support antipsychotic prescribing: a multi-method qualitative exploration.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2026Article
- "DNA Doesn't Lie:" Genetic Essentialism and Determinism in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.The Journal of medical humanities · 2025Article
- Genetic knowledge and attitudes toward genomics across academic disciplines, a cross-sectional survey of university students in Samborondón, greater Guayaquil, Ecuador.Journal of community genetics · 2025Article
- Genetic exceptionalism and genomic contextualism among Asian Americans: a qualitative study.Journal of community genetics · 2025Article
- Benefits of Better Cardiovascular Health for Calcific Aortic Valve Stenosis Stratified by Polygenic Risk Score.Genomics, proteomics & bioinformatics · 2025Article
- The Mediating Role of Social and Environmental Determinants of Health in the Association Between Race and Preterm Birth Risk.Journal of women's health (2002) · 2025Article
- Language Should Reflect Biological Knowledge.Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2025Article
- Psychological and behavioural considerations for integrating polygenic risk scores for disease into clinical practice.Nature human behaviour · 2025Review
- The genetic and environmental composition of socioeconomic status in Norway.Nature communications · 2025Article
- Impact of a Genetic Diagnosis for a Child's Autism on Parental Perceptions.Journal of autism and developmental disorders · 2025Article
- Not evolved to save the planet, yet capable to promote pro-environmental action leveraging human nature.Frontiers in psychology · 2025Review
- Implications of Genetic Attributions for Addiction in Adults Affected by Alcohol Use Disorder and Gambling Disorder.Addiction research & theory · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
1 author.
Funding
Abstract
Research linking genetic differences with human social and behavioural phenotypes has long been controversial. Frequently, debates about the ethical, social and legal implications of this area of research centre on questions about whether studies overtly or covertly perpetuate genetic determinism, genetic essentialism and/or genetic reductionism. Given the prominent role of the '-isms' in scientific discourse and criticism, it is important for there to be consensus and clarity about the meaning of these terms. Here, the author integrates scholarship from psychology, genetics and philosophy of science to provide accessible definitions of genetic determinism, genetic reductionism and genetic essentialism. The author provides linguistic and visual examples of determinism, reductionism and essentialism in science and popular culture, discusses common misconceptions and concludes with recommendations for science communication.
Indexed as
Identifiers
36316396What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.