Despite the lack of valid confirmation of the Caspi et al10 results, the approach to implicate candidate genes that had failed previous direct association studies through inclusion of an environmental exposure has been rapidly embraced, and substantial resources have been devoted to subsequent research.5 The widespread acceptance of these findings is likely to have been in part attributable to the acclaim the original article received,60,61 as well as a field that was eager for a new approach due to the frustrating lack of progress in gene identification for mental disorders despite intensive efforts for more than a decade.62,63 The disciplines of behavioral and social sciences have rapidly adopted this approach as seen by an increasing number of reports that attempt to link candidate genes with a wide range of human behaviors that may not even be under strong genetic influence such as number of sexual partners64 and delinquency.65 A more serious concern, however, is that the findings of this and other nonreplicated genetic associations are now being translated to a range of clinical, legal, research, and social settings such as
