Minnesota Twin Essay

Sibling studies theoretically control for social and environmental confounders, and monozygotic twin studies would be the ideal model for genetic and environmental control of potential risk factors for neurodevelopmental disorders. This type of studies supported the importance of genetic and social/environmental variables as risk factors for learning disabilities. Genetic vulnerability can be related to an increased risk for surgical disease (62, 71).

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

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.

The Minnesota Twin Registry started in 1983 and its goal was to establish a registry of all twins born in Minnesota from 1936 to 1955 to be used for psychological research.., T.J. Bouchard, working in conjunction with the University of Minnesota, started exploring the similarities and differences in characteristics like personality, career interests, and a variety of personal interests between identical twins who were reared apart. Research was conducted on twins from all over the world. The Minnesota Twin study gave scientists a new insight of the role of nature vs. nurture on human development and personality; it was the hope that twin studies would be able to tie genes to specific behaviors. From the study, we understand that twins who were separated at birth and raised in different families

Currently a study like it would not be allowed today because many people would disagree to use identical twins for a study because it might affect them. It is going to be hard for the researcher’s to explain to people right now about a study like it. Instead it will be better for the twins to be adopted by the same family or have them be placed in similar environments so they will not feel different from each

The main focus of this study is whether nature or nurture is stronger. The researches wanted to see if twins who were separated at birth would still grow up to be similar. I believe the results will be that the twins will share some interests and similarities, like all siblings do, but because of the separation they will not be as similar as that might have been if they had been kept together. From my experience, people are born with a personality. There are certain traits that we are born with that the environment we grown up in can influence, but cannot completely change. With that said, the environment we grow up in does play a large role in the people we become and what are opinions are. As we talked about with the sociological imagination, outside influences make a huge impact on our

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

Using the information provided by Belmont and Marolla, Zajonc and Markus proposed the theory that as family size increases, the average intellectual climate of the family decreases. Zajonc and Markus put the data from the Belmont and Marolla study into a table that provided information about the number of children and the average intellectual score for the children. They noticed that in larger families there is somewhat of a leveling off or even an increase in scores for the extreme later-born children. The reason for this increase is because the other siblings start to leave the family and contribute towards the average intellectual climate. Zajonc and Markus also found that twins and triplets performed lower on tests of intelligence than non-twin siblings. Zajonc and Markus didn't try to claim that the only

In this study, they are used several type of method, one of the technique is used two or more test instrument to ensure the adequate coverage, for example the participants were given a battery of personality and mental ability tests, interest and value inventories and psychomotor tests. In addition, separate of examiners administer the IQ test, life history interview, psychiatric interview and sexual life history interview. The twin also complete questionnaire independently under the constant supervision of the staff members. Twin studies are valuable to researchers because identical twins share 100% of their genes and fraternal twins share, on average, 50% of their genes. Both identical and fraternal twins share certain aspects of their environment (e.g. religious practices in the home). This allows researchers to estimate the heritability of certain traits. Participants are asked about academic ability, personality, and interests; family and social relationships; mental and physical health; physiological measurements. Of interest to researchers are prevalence of psychopathology, substance

As stated by Myers (2007), in the above quote, adopted twins studies also play a role in determining levels of intelligence and its heritability. However, like in all other psychological testing, correlation does not always mean causation and atypical findings may find their way into the data poll. It must also be noted that in order to successfully foster an identical twin study, all the twins should be adopted. This provides for a better chance for the twins to grow up in a different environment from their biological parents. If this is not the cases, how can professionals determine that environmental influences are not the cause of the intellectual levels? In addition, if separated,

In the podcast ‘Identical Strangers’ Explore Nature vs. Nurture, I initially thought that the study Elyse and Paula were subjects in was interesting because the twins were able to develop individually. Our book discussed how it is critical for twins to move from a sense of “we” to “I” (Santrock, 2017, p 68). This is exactly what Elyse and Paula were able to from an earlier age than most other twins because they were separate. Though they may have been able to move to the “I” more quickly, the twins missed out on 35 years of knowing and loving each other. They also did not get the opportunity to bond in a shared environment. The book states that “genes may be systematically related to the types of environment to which they are expose” (Santrock,

I interpreted the situation as the twins suffering from a condition called twin to twin transfusion. Twin to twin transfusion is diagnosed based of the number of connecting blood vessels and the way the twins share the placenta. However, because everyone is different, and every pregnancy is different it is very difficult to predict the outcomes. (“What happens TTTS”) The way I have always thought of it is one baby gets too much fluid and the other one doesn’t get enough.

I Chose this six word story because it caught my eye. This story caught my eye because it was different from the others. I wouldn't find this an exciting story but i caused me some sort of sad emotion. I think that person definitely felt pain or anger. The author probably had a either a really good connection or a really bad connection with his sibling or he wouldn't have the wrote this. The author definitely feels something toward this twin either he hates him enough to say he doesn't even exist to him or the he is dead.This person probably experienced and extreme amount of pain emotionally with loosing an sibling. This person is most likely in his late teens. The main thing that led me to think his other sibling died is “only child” it brings

While this assumption is accepted by a majority of geneticists and behavioral scientists, there is great disagreement on the degree of influence each contributes. Arguments for environmental influences are compelling; at the same time there is growing evidence that genetic influence on intelligence is significant and substantial (Eyesenck, 1998; Mackintosh, 1998; Plomin, 1994; Steen, 1996). The purpose of this paper is to explore the question: "How is intelligence influenced by heredity and environment?"

From these studies, researchers have found that twins who have grown up in the same household share similarities in the way they think, act, dress, speak, etcetera. However, with the first type of twin studies, researchers could not differentiate whether the similarities were due to them having identical/similar genetic makeups or growing up in the same environments. Therefore, in order for psychologists to know whether similarities in twins are genetic or socially influenced, they studied twins who grew up in completely different households and environments. The study showed that despite growing up with a different family and in a different environment, they still had noticeable similarities in fashion, interests, and thought processes (K.W. Brown, personal communication, August 29, 2017). Twin studies, as well as other studies, have greatly contributed to our understanding of overall role that genes play in the development of psychological traits and behavior.