The ARCH model proposes that human behavior results from the interplay of archetypes, drives, and culture, with implications for psychology and biology. It suggests that ancient viral codes, particularly endogenous retroviruses (ERVs), embedded in our DNA, may play a key role in shaping our personality traits such as fear and caregiving. ERVs, remnants of ancient viral infections, comprise about 8% of our genome and function as regulatory elements influencing gene expression during crucial developmental stages, thereby impacting our behavioral tendencies.
What if parts of our personality-our capacity for fear, bonding, caregiving, and even symbolic meaning-are influenced not only by evolution and environment but also by an ancient viral code embedded in our DNA?
Today, ERVs act as regulatory elements: they can switch nearby genes on or off, especially during brain development, under hormonal influences, or during immune activation.
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