1 Psychology and human development1.11 Underlying concepts in human development
1.11.2 Genes, adversity and developmental timing
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Written by Resident Doctor Committee · Published
New in the 2027 syllabus
The College added this topic for exams from January 2027.
How genes and environment combine
Gene-environment interaction: the link between an exposure and an outcome differs with a person's genetic variation.
Gene-environment correlation: inherited characteristics are linked to the environments people meet. This can mimic an interaction, or make a real one harder to interpret.
The heritability of intelligence can change with age and social conditions. A figure from one population is not a universal constant.
Whether socio-economic status changes the strength of genetic influences has differed between countries and samples. So no single interaction can be assumed to apply everywhere.
Timing and pathways
Developmental idea | Meaning |
|---|---|
Sensitive period | Experience has a stronger effect at a particular stage of development |
Cumulative adversity | Repeated or ongoing exposures add to the burden over time |
Developmental cascade | An early effect changes the experiences and opportunities that follow |
Turning point | A later experience changes the direction of development |
Early adversity can change attachment, learning and stress regulation. Later adversity can still change functioning and risk.
The effects of trauma depend on the person's developmental abilities at the time, how long it lasted, what it meant to them, the support they had and whether they were safe afterwards. Age at exposure alone does not decide them.
Equifinality: different pathways can lead to a similar outcome.
Multifinality: similar adversity can lead to different outcomes.
A developmental formulation links the sequence of a person's experiences and adaptations. It should not treat a risk factor as an inevitable cause of later disorder.