This volume investigates the complex interplay between hereditary genetic factors and external environmental conditions in the determination of human behavioral patterns. Edited by A.S. Parkes, the text compiles proceedings from a 1967 symposium hosted by the Eugenics Society, bringing together experts to evaluate the biological and social determinants of conduct. The work utilizes the scientific frameworks prevalent in the late 1960s to bridge the gap between genetic research and behavioral psychology.

Experts and historians of science view this volume as a primary source document for understanding the mid-century academic discourse surrounding behavioral genetics. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose and the historical significance of the symposium's specific focus on the eugenics movement.