9 Mar 2016

Nurture vs nature: British Psychologist Oliver James

From Nine To Noon, 10:06 am on 9 March 2016
Oliver James

What is it that makes us like our parents? Is it our genetic makeup - the DNA passed from parent to child? Or is it the way in which our parents have raised us, that makes us who we are?

Oliver James is a British clinical psychologist, author and broadcaster. He is the author of several books including They F*** You Up, Affluenza, Contented Dementia, Love Bombing and Office Politics.

His latest book is called Not in your genes: the real reason children are like their parents

In it he argues that when it comes to psychological traits, including mental illness, smartness or shyness, genes passed down have little or nothing to do with it.

He talks to Kathryn Ryan.