The Nature-Nurture Question

Adoption study

A behaviour genetic research method that involves comparison of adopted children to their

adoptive and biological parents.

Behavioural genetics

The empirical science of how genes and environments combine to generate behaviour.

Heritability coefficient

An easily misinterpreted statistical construct that purports to measure the role of genetics in the explanation of differences among individuals.

Quantitative genetics

Scientific and mathematical methods for inferring genetic and environmental processes based

on the degree of genetic and environmental similarity among organisms.

Twin studies

A behaviour genetic research method that involves comparison of the similarity of identical

(monozygotic; MZ) and fraternal (dizygotic; DZ) twins.

Monozygotic twin

twins that result from a single zygote (fertilized egg) which have the same DNA. (Identical twins)

Dizygotic twins

twins that result from the fertilization of two separate eggs which share 50% of their DNA. (Fraternal twins)

Epigenetics

a process in which the DNA itself is modified by environmental events and transmitted to children

Allele

one of a number of different forms of a gene