• About Us
  • Blogs & Vlogs
  • Newsletters
  • The Purple Tent
  • Contact Us
  • Log In/Register
  • Patrons
Global Women Connected
  • Women’s Health
    • Puberty
    • Menstrual Cycle
    • Female Disorders
      • Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
      • Endometriosis
      • Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)
      • Pelvic organ prolapse
      • Fibroids
      • Ovarian Cysts
      • Urinary Incontinence
    • Cancer
      • Symptoms
      • Preventation
      • Breast
      • Cervical
      • Ovarian
    • Menopause
  • Sex
    • Sex introduction
      • Sex Education Guide For Parents
      • Masturbation & Orgasms
      • Sex During & After Pregnancy
      • Sex In Older Age
      • Porn
    • Contraception
      • Condoms
      • Pill
      • Implant/injection
      • Patch/ring
      • IUD
      • Diaphragm/cap
      • Permanent
      • Natural
      • Emergency
      • Young adults
      • 40s and 50s
    • Sexually Transmitted Diseases
  • Pregnancy
    • Preconception Care
    • Tests During Pregnancy
    • Birth
    • Teenage Pregnancy
    • Ectopic Pregnancy
    • Miscarriages
    • Termination Of Pregnancy
    • Maternal Mortality
    • Cancer During Pregnancy
    • Value Of Female Children
  • Wellbeing
    • Energy Management
    • Exercise
    • Sleep
    • Burnout
    • Body Image
    • Eating Disorders
    • Plastic / Cosmetic Surgery

Both play a role in who we become

Nature vs nurture

Author: Professor Joyce Harper

6 years ago 0
Share this:

Global women connected nature v nurtureScientists have argued about this for years.  How much of who we are is the influence of our genes (nature) or our environment (nurture)?

It was the British scientist, Francis Galton, who in 1874 started the nature vs nurture debate.

There have been a number of studies on identical twins to determine if nature or nurture has more influence over certain physical and mental traits.  Identical twins are genetically identical and are much more similar than non identical twins, whether they were brought up together or separately.

Thomas Bouchard of the University of Minnesota did the most famous research on genetic influences in humans. He studied identical twins separated since birth.  “Bouchard did not find outstanding similarities between identical twins on such standard measures as IQ tests or standardized personality tests, but he did find striking similarities were mannerisms (such as wearing rubber bands on the wrists, or reading magazines backwards), personal choices (such as choice of names for pets or children, or choice of clothing styles), and expressive social behavior (shyness or social ease, laughter, facial expressions and posture).  Bouchard’s findings can be interpreted as strong support for genetic influences on personality.”

Professor Marcus Munafo recently reported in The Guardian that the rates of schizophrenia in people who have been adopted are related to rates in their biological relatives (not their adoptive family).  He says “Environmental factors can be divided into shared environmental factors (things that make us similar) and non-shared environmental factors (things that make us different, including chance events that may happen to one sibling but not another).

New evidence is being reported through studying our genes using genome-wide association studies (GWAS).  These studies are showing us that genes can be linked to personality traits but the environment can influence these genes. Professor Munafo says “If we had the entire genetic code for an individual we still wouldn’t be able to predict their outcomes with any certainty, even for traits with high heritability.”

As well as affecting our personality , nature and nurture also will affect our physical characteristics – for example height. We have a genetic predisposition to a certain height, influenced by the genes of our parents.  Normally tall parents will have tall children.  But how tall we become is affected by our environment. If we are undernourished, this will reduce our height.

What if we overrode the effects of our environment?  If everyone smoked or ate a high fat diet, who gets lung cancer and heart disease would be down to those who are genetically predisposition.

So it would seem that who we are is a mix of nature and nurture.  Our genes give us the building blocks to make us who we are, but the environment will have an influence on who we become.

Read More:
Bouchards research
Professor Munafos’ report in The Guardian

Image credit: http://www.slideshare.net/candipill/nature-vs-nurture-debate

1 1
Previous Post

Toxic chemical in condoms and dummies

Next Post

Breakthrough for repeated miscarriage

Cancel Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Menopause and your menstrual cycle

3 years ago 0
From puberty to the menopause, most of our lives will be governed by our monthly cycles of periods, ovulation and often premenstrual tension. After the menopause we are free of our menstrual...

Female genital mutilation – more countries are...

4 years ago 0
FGM comprises all procedures that involve partial or complete removal of the external genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non medical reasons (WHO).  It is also...
  • Recent
  • Popular
  • Comments

Menopause and exercise

4 months ago 0

What is the purpose and meaning of your life?

6 months ago 0

We need to teach everyone about the menopause

6 months ago 0

UK Governments Women’s Health Strategy

6 months ago 0

What does the future hold for reproduction?

1 year ago 0

Do not believe everything you read

7 years ago 6

Sometimes I get lonely…

7 years ago 6

The Babypod

7 years ago 5

Dementia and Alzheimer’s

7 years ago 4

How many women breast feed?

7 years ago 4

Newsletter Sign-up

Twitter Feed

  • Listen to @timspector and Caroline Ovadia talk about how your #microbiome can affect your own health and your baby'… https://t.co/hmtdlxMpjh
    April 25th, 2018
  • Join @DrAndyChilds and @davide_danovi to talk about #eggs, #infertility and #stemcells at @pintofscience and be in… https://t.co/GoNIIc2EVz
    April 19th, 2018
  • RT @DrHelenONeill: More communication between clinicians and scientists is essential in this #genomic era. Thanks for the invite to be inte…
    March 15th, 2018

Instagram Feed

Load More…Follow on Instagram

Disclaimer

On all of our platforms, Global Women Connected does not provide professional medical advice. For any health issues, please contact your health care provider. All comments and discussions are provided by any person registered with Global Women Connected. Global Women Connected does not accept responsibility for any advice given and the advice given may not be the views of the staff of Global Women Connected.
© Copyright 2022. All rights reserved.