What does it mean to find a gene or set of genes that are associated with ADHD, schizophrenia, or autism? Could we eradicate such diseases from our species through gene therapy? Is it possible to eradicate from our genome the genetic material that predisposes us to be too aggressive, too shy, less intelligent, or not active enough? Who has the political power and/or moral authority to make these decisions? The premise of Nature and Nurture is that the complexity of the transactions between nature and nurture--between genes and the environment from the cellular to the cultural level--make these questions incredibly complex and in need of careful attention by educators, scientists, the public, and policymakers. A product of the conference held at Brown University in 2001, this book suggests that genes and environments work together interactively in a complex and closely intertwined fashion. The contributors to this book--biologists, psychologists, psychiatrists, and economists--present knowledge that enables research and application to transcend the traditional question of whatever variance or significance is attributed to genetics versus environment in the development of a particular behavioral trait. This book presents a variety of views on the current status of knowledge about the ways in which dynamic, developmental, mutually interactive systems in the genetic and environmental domains operate. The chapters represent contributions from different perspectives.

Julio Morales describes the Puerto Rican nation as being comprised of those individuals who identify themselves as Puerto Ricans. This includes almost 6. 2 million people who live primarily, but not exclu sively, on the island of Puerto Rico, and in the northeastern United States. One gets to be a Puerto Rican by various means. You are Puerto Rican if you are born in Puerto Rico, although at the same time you are an American because you were born there. You are Puerto Rican if your parents are Puerto Rican, even if you have never visited the island, have never eaten arroz y habichuelas, and have never spoken a word in Spanish. You can be a second and third generation Puerto Rican of mixed marriage, be highly acculturated to American culture, but when asked, you say proudly, "I am a Puerto Rican. " You can meet some of us whose world is bicultural, a world where English and Spanish are easily interchanged, where traditional Thanksgiving turkey is followed by lechon asado at Christmas as the main treat, where salsa or bolero are enjoyed with the same passion as rock'n roll or the big band sound. It is a world where various cultures have merged and the historical forces of slavery and Spanish and American colonialism have left their indelible marks on the psyche."

This collection of original papers explores the psychological and social development of the Puerto Rican woman from a lifespan developmental perspective. Using a wide range of methodologies and perspectives, the book addresses important issues of growth and development, among them cultural constructs of womanhood, adaptation to school, early pregnancy, sexuality, migration, autonomy, family interaction, and aging. Choice This collection of original papers explores the psychological and social development of the Puerto Rican woman from a lifespan developmental perspective. Using a wide range of methodologies and perspectives, the book is organized around the major developmental stages: childhood and adolescence, adulthood, and growing old. An ideal supplemental text for courses in the psychology of women, Puerto Rican studies, and cross-cultural psychology, the book addresses important issues of growth and development, among them cultural constructs of womanhood, adaptation to school, early pregnancy, sexuality, migration, autonomy, family interaction, and aging. The book begins with an introductory section that examines the social, demographic, and cultural variables that affect Puerto Rican women and provides a historical and social context for understanding the profound changes experienced by the Puerto Rican people in recent decades. In the section of childhood and adolescence two chapters look at how Puerto Rican girls learn the American student role and the problems of adolescent pregnancy respectively. The following group of papers explore developmental issues during adulthood, with separate chapters on the effects of social background on the expression of female sexuality, the implications of cross-cultural transitions, the role of the single female head of household, the conflict between autonomy and social networks, and the problems of elderly Puerto Rican women. Taken together, these essays offer a spirited contribution to the women's studies curriculum.