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What It Takes …
Posted by Joseph Riggio on Tuesday, August 08, 2006Pre-Destined or Pre-Organized
Is there a difference ... I think so ... some thoughts on how we’ve decided who we’re going to be with before we know who they are ...
Howdy all,
Back again and today I want to put some muscles on the bones, not just flesh. The idea that I'm proposing is that we are "pre-organized", not "pre-destined" to move in a direction, especially with regard to connecting with others.
Unlike Dr. Skinner, (B.F. Skinner of behavioral psychology fame) I don't necessarily believe that what's true of rats or chickens, or in this particular case geckos, mice and gerbils, is true of humans. However, it is interesting to note ... and then begin using the extrapolation of this information as the basis of 'real-time' observation of people (an informal ethnographic study if you like).
I'm referring to the "Living Things" feature that appeared in the September 2006 issue of SEED Magazine by Olivia Judson. In this article a study of the incubating conditions of gecko eggs and the subsequent birthing that occurs with regard to sex, female and male births, is examined. It's quite common in lizard species that the temperature of incubation will determine or at least influence the sex of the newborn. In leopard geckos, the species in this study, the incubation temperature seems to influence not only birth but temperament. At a particular temperature all eggs hatch female, raise the temperature a bit (four degrees centigrade) and some males are hatched (about 30%), raise it again by 2.5 degrees and two-thirds of the eggs will hatch male (about 70%), raise it once more by 1.5 degrees and 95% of the eggs again hatch female.
Now all that may be interesting, but what in heck does it have to do with pre-determining who we select for in our relationships? Good question! ... Well it seems that when females hatch from eggs at temperatures that largely produce males they are bigger and more aggressive than those hatched at other incubation temperatures. Males hatched at cooler temperatures are less aggressive, but more 'amorous' it seems, "sexually rambunctious" and with greater "processing power in those parts of the brain that are important for wooing." WOW! - not only are there physical and behavioral traits that are influenced during incubation but also neurological traits as well! However ... let's continue a bit more ...
Another thing that showed up in this study was that the "wiring or sexual desire" is pre-organized based on the temperature of incubation - 'cool males' (those hatched at lower temperatures) prefer 'hot females' (those hatched at higher temperatures), and 'hot' males (those hatched at higher temperatures) prefer 'cool females' (those hatched at lower temperatures) ... built-in sexual/mating preferences - from birth!.
We could of course dismiss all this to just it being all about lizard behavior, however it also shows up in mammals as well. In mice and gerbils more than one pup is born at a time, and the order in the womb strongly effects mating preferences. Whether a pup is "sandwiched" between two sisters, or two brothers in the womb will determine how desirable they are as mates, and certain behavioral characteristics, after birth. This is independent of nurturing conditions for all intents and purposes.
What I've been saying for years is that we are known largely through the eyes of others - even to ourselves. What we can speculate about as well is that how we are known by others may have something to do with how we are organized during our experience in the womb.
"All of which is a salutary reminder that early environment can have effects that are just as profound as any gene; long before any animal first opens its eyes, events wire its brain and have subtle but indelible effects on the attitudes and tastes of the adult." - Olivia Judson, Seed Magazine, September 2006
Add into all of this the idea that human beings are "pre-born" - born before we are fully developed and requiring years of nurturing while we complete our development outside of the womb, in the absolute care of others. This would seemingly have a significant effect on shaping our personalities - characteristics, preferences ... especially when we incorporate the findings of studies like those referenced above.
Practically, what we want to be be doing next is developing the skills to notice for how first we ourselves respond in the world, and then next how others do this as well. This skill set begins with calibration leads to the skills of tracking (calibrating on the run), and finally to adumbration ... things we'll be addressing as we go ...
Joseph Riggio, Ph.D.
Princeton, NJ
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