A key principle of individual differences research is that genetic and environmental factors jointly influence personality and psychopathology. Genes and environments interact to influence the emergence and stability of both normal and maladaptive behavior, including by shaping the neural circuits underpinning behavior. However, genetic factors are not independent from environmental influences. That is, individuals may experience environments that correlate with heritable risk (e.g., parenting influences can reflect shared genetic predispositions of parents and children). Throughout our program of research, we aim to separate out the influences of genetics, personality, psychopathology, neural function and structure, and environment. This focus is important for how we design and target treatment and intervention.

Relevant peer-reviewed publications