Twin Study

1. Methods and results In this study, doubting Thomas Bouchard and David Lykken, along with their associates at the University of Minnesota, were attempting to prove if nature is the determining factor in a persons personality or if it really is the nurturing environment. They wanted to see if check who were separated at birth and brocaded in different environments would still have exchangeable personalities, which support the theory that a persons genes has more invasion on a persons character than the environment.In order to study their hypothesis, Bouchard and Lykken placed identical twins that were separated by birth due to adoption and spent a calendar week conducting various tests four personality trait scales, three aptitude and occupational interest inventories as hale as two intelligence tests. Through these examples and other tests, Bouchard and Lykken complied copious amounts of data on the twins. The results of the study advance the nature theory in that an overwhe lming percentage of the twins had similar results and personalities despite having never bountiful up together. . Analysis It does appear that this studys results proved whether nature or nurture is chief(prenominal) in the development of a persons personality. At least this seems to have been proven in the instance of identical twins. However, there was no mention of research make involving twins raised in the same household to compare to this studys results. I do believe that the experiment was done properly in coordination with the scientific method but that various psychologists should have replicated the experiment numerous measure over time. . Criticisms As with all published findings, there were those who argued against the claims made by Bouchard and Lykken. Some members of the psychological companionship believed that what was published was incomplete and therefore cannot be regarded as true unless all the results are made available. In addition, some critics claim that Bouchard and Lykken are guilty of the equal environment assumption which is that identical and fraternal twins are slightnessed equally and raised in identical environments.This assumption is untrue as parents treat fraternal twins, two separately fertilized eggs versus one that split, as complete different individuals like both other siblings born at separate times. Other psychologists agreed with Bouchard and Lykken and even completed their own studies intimately genetic influence on peoples personalities as well as choices, and many of these studies had similar results, thus further supporting Bouchard and Lykken. 4. ConclusionThe overall meaning of this study is that the debate of nature versus nurture continues in the field of psychology and it is more a matter of interpretation of data and personal belief quite a than something set in stone. Psychologists continue to follow the studys example by investigating the impact of genetics on a persons choices and actions such as whom they fall in get it on with and other complexities of human behavior. This study changed psychology in that there was a new element, genes, for psychologists to analyze for explanations close to the human psyche.