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Running head: MODERN PSYCHOLOGY 1

Modern Psychology

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MODERN PSYCHOLOGY 2

Galton’s Law of Ancestral Heredity

In his law of ancestral heredity, Galton argues that each parent contributes one half of

their offspring’s heritage (Bulmer, 1998). Behavior, intelligence, and other traits of an individual

are, therefore, inherited from an individual’s parents who, in turn, inherited their traits from their

parents making traits such as genius and understanding of science or medicine hereditary. Galton

advanced natural inheritance as the rationale for his ideas regarding heredity by arguing that like

physical features, mental features are equally genetically inherited. However, the current

understanding derived from advancements in hereditary traits, genetics, and human behavior

seemingly invalidates Galton’s arguments, raising some major issues regarding his work.

First, research challenges Galton’s understanding of genetics, hereditary traits, and

human behavior by revealing that no traits are entirely heritable (Plomin & Deary, 2015). An

offspring is, therefore, bound to have some distinct traits which are not inherited from either

parent. Second, Galton argues that an individual’s traits are solely acquired from their parents

and relatives from past generations. However, advancements in understanding human behavior

reveal that behavior is acquired through the interaction between genetics and the environment

which discredits Galton’s argument (Dick, 2011). Although Galton lay the foundation for further

studies in genetics, hereditary traits, and human behavior, his arguments raise some issues and

concerns which invalidate some of his claims.

Darwin and Psychology

The ideas advanced by Darwin and others like him had a significant influence on

psychology at the time. According to Philosophical Transactions B, Darwin’s primary influence

on psychology stemmed from his contribution to the understanding of emotions (Ekman, 2009).

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Running head: MODERN PSYCHOLOGY 1 Modern Psychology Name: Institution: MODERN PSYCHOLOGY 2 Galton’s Law of Ancestral Heredity In his law of ancestral heredity, Galton argues that each parent contributes one half of their offspring’s heritage (Bulmer, 1998). Behavior, intelligence, and other traits of an individual are, therefore, inherited from an individual’s parents who, in turn, inherited their traits from their parents making traits such as genius and understanding of science or medicine hereditary. Galton advanced natural inheritance as the rationale for his ideas regarding heredity by arguing that like physical features, mental features are equally genetically inherited. However, the current understanding derived from advancements in hereditary traits, genetics, and human behavior seemingly invalidates Galton’s arguments, raising some major issues regarding his work. First, research challenges Galton’s understanding of genetics, hereditary traits, and human behavior by revealing that no traits are entirely heritable (Plomin & Deary, 2015). An offspring is, therefore, bound to have some distinct traits which are not inherited from either parent. Second, Galton argues that an individual’s traits are solely acquired from their parents and relatives from past generations. However, advancements in understanding human behavior reveal that behavior is acquired through the interaction between genetics and the environment which discredits Galton’s argument (D ...
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