The fact that these areas of study have unfolded largely in parallel is unfortunate. Each of these strategies has its own strengths and limitations. Combining these areas of study allows us to capitalize on their respective contributions and help avoid some of the pitfalls associated with each individually. Below, I delineate a program of research that illustrates how findings from twin studies, gene identification projects, and the broader developmental literature can be used to inform and guide measured GxE interaction studies. These studies are all in the area of GxE interaction in alcohol use and related behavioral outcomes. This reflects the fact that this is my own area of study, although a similar integrative strategy could be applied to most psychological outcomes of interest.
