Summary of Rethinking Twins and Environments: Possible Social

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8. Why are these findings relevant to psychology?

These findings reveals relative importance of environmental and genetic influences on individuals in a sample. This study furthermore can be considered key tools in behavioral genetics. This study also mentions behaviors along the same line of the human development researcher’s theorists in psychology. Twin studies are part of the methods used in behavior genetics, can be very informative with knowing about siblings, adoptees. Twins are a valuable source for observation because they allow us to study our varying family environment more effectively. In a situation across pairs where we have widely different genetic makeup, "identical" or as they are scientifically called monozygotic twins share nearly 100% of their genes, which means that the main differences between the twins, like height, susceptibility to boredom, intelligence, depression, etc. This is due to the experiences that one twin has but not the other twin. "Fraternal" or dizygotic twins share only about 50% of their genes and they are the total opposite of one another when it comes to social factions and environmental regressions.. Twins share many aspects of their environment uterine environment, parenting style, education, wealth, culture, community which is what developmental psychology is about. By virtue of being born in the same time and place, the presence of a given genetic trait by one’s parent to only one member of a pair of identical twins called discordance provides a powerful window into environmental effects. (P. 113)

Refrences

Horwitz, A., Videon, T., Schmitz, M., & Davis, D. (2003). Rethinking Twins and Environments: Possible Social Sources for Assumed Genetic Influences in Twin Research*. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, Volume 44(2), 111-129. Retrieved from https://ezproxy.pgcc.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/201664424?accountid=1335. Retrieved on October 11, 2015.