Identical Strangers: A Brief Analysis

Many psychologists agree that nurture play a greater part in the development of a human being. Studies such as those performed on monozygotic twins (identical), who share the same genetics and those performed

Table 3-1 examines the correlations between selected characteristics for the identical twins separated at birth and the twins raised together. When compared to each other, they both have very similar brain wave activity, blood pressure and heart rate in the physiological characteristics. The Raven intelligence test was very similar, but the WAIS IQ displayed a bit of difference when compared to the other comparisons made. Personality wise, they typically had similar personalities at the same rate as twins raised together. Psychological interests were off a little bit, but still very similar. The twins that were separated at birth had less similar psychological interests compared to the twins

The biography Identical Strangers by Elyse Schein and Paula Bernstein is about twins that got separated at birth, and now are finding out there is another person in the world with their exact DNA. They were part of a study on separated twins. It was to see in nature versus nurture which one has more of an impact. (31-32) Identical twins were easiest to study because of their identical DNA. Scientists working on the study placed both girls in a family in which are very similar; therefore, they both have a brother that is a couple years older than them. They find out about the other twin, and Paula is having their

Twin studies are a mainstay of the nature verse nurture debate because they allow researchers to conduct “natural experiments” on human beings. When researchers try to determine the relative importance of genetics and environment with regard to a certain condition, they have a hard time because they cannot generally get people with the same genes. This is where twin studies come in. Twins studies are part of the method used in behaviour genetics, which includes all data that are genetically informative. E.g. siblings, adoptees, pedigree data etc. Researchers use this method to estimate the heritability of traits and to quantify the effect of a person 's shared environment (family) and unique environment (the individual events that shape a life) on a trait.

Identical twins may share the same DNA make up and grow up in the same household, yet they have very distinct personalities. On the other hand, twins that may have been separated at birth, find that years later when they meet up for the first time that they have very similar character traits and experiences. Researchers have been trying to figure out for years if DNA or environment has a bigger factor in determining a twin’s personality. When researchers try to determine how personalities are developed, they often look to twin studies to determine if DNA or life experiences are influential in personality development.

In reading stories about identical twins my point of view is easily understood. Various types of psychologist have analyzed the study of identical twins. It shows that individuals with the same genetic make-up can be totally different, when it comes to personality. Nurture promotes the twins to grow up as separate individuals. Its a lot better if a twin has his or her own personality rather than the same exact personality of the other half. I think this great debate weighs heavier on the nurture side. As a child my parents, and sibling overshadowed my genetic make-up. No matter how much I thought my physical traits made me behave. It did not affect me more than the things that I had seen and been exposed to. The more things that I had seen around and experienced made me the person that I am today. If my genetic make-up was totally different, to a certain extent, I am sure that I?d behave the same way that I do presently. There are exceptions to that. For instance if I were six foot five and one hundred and ninety pounds, I?d most likely be in the NBA and be really rich. I think if I was really rich and in the NBA I wouldn?t have the same worries that I have today. Even if before I were in the NBA I would have lots of attention and have a lot more confidence. So to an extent I would change a little if my genetic make-up were different. In a sense, genetic make-up is just a competitor to the environmental factors

Twins, share a bond that no parent, child or sibling relationship can ever compare. There are two main types of twins, and these include: monozygotic (identical) twins and dizygotic (fraternal) twins, and they are compared by their emotional, behavioural, and cognitive similarities. (Robert Plomin, 1997). According to Social Issues Referencing, 2007, whereas Identical twins are formed from a single (mono) zygote and are genetic “carbon copies”, fraternal twins develop from two (di) separate zygotes, as a result of two eggs being fertilized by two sperms independently. (Social Issues Referencing, 2007, para. 8)

Both family and twin studies face the problem of ignoring environmental impacts. In family studies, genetically similar members of the same family tend to spend more time together, therefore

Methods: The researchers needed a way to study a person who developed in a certain environment and how similar or different that person would be having been raised in a different environment. They came up with an experiment using monozygotic (identical) twins. Half of the pairs of twins were reared together (MZT); the other half were reared apart (MZA) and separated early in life. Each twin was individually given numerous surveys and

Looking at the genetic role can pose a bit of a challenge. It isn’t plausible to remove outside influences and interactions from a child without risking irreparable damage to their development, and one cannot simply discount the socialization that has already occurred in an adult. So how do scientists solve these conflicting issues? By studying sets of identical twins separated at birth, children that have the same genetic makeup but were raised and socialized by different families in different

The concept of Nature v. Nurture is one that describes the different aspects of the environment and genetics that make up someone’s personality. On one side, Nature is the abilities and other traits inherited from someone’s parent that predetermines how they will mature over the years. An example of this would be that many believe that children are born smart and that they inherit their intelligence from their parents. While on the other, Nurture is the environmental influences that sculpt how someone acts. For example, one will react to certain situations they are in based on past experiences. This concept plays a vital role in the research because even though the twins had grown-up in two completely different

Throughout history, across all cultures, people have been fascinated with twins. In addition to interest in the close emotional ties and biological similarities that twins may share, reports of special twin languages and twin extrasensory perception (ESP) help people to explore ideas of what it means to be human. How similar or different are they to each other? How important are genes and environment for development? Because identical twins share all of their genes, it is the environment—rather than genetics—that accounts for any differences between them.

Another study that has been done was with separated twins. Each twin was raised in a completely different environment than the other. Genetically, they were both identical in every way, but the environment that they were raised in was very different. One twin was raised in a very hostile setting and slowly became violent as an adult while the other twin was

Scientists and psychologists everywhere study twins. The argument most commonly studied is nature versus nurture. The focus of this essay, however, is whether or not to separate twins in schools. Some believe the separation is demeaning and traumatic to the twins. The side about to be proved however that is this separation is a necessary step in the individualization of twins. Often, separation sparks the path to individualization.

For years I have been fascinated by that mysterious quirk of nature called twins. In my family, there are several sets of identical twins, and I have always concentrated on their similarities. I did not realize that identical twins also have many differences. My identical twin cousins, Sue and Heidi, appear to be perfect mirror images. They love to dress alike. They can feel each other's pain. They sound alike and can complete each other's sentences. But upon taking a closer look, I have found that they are as different as day and night. Aside from Sue and Heidi's outward characteristics, they possess several distinguishing traits that allow them to be viewed as two separate, independent