L4 AB

Nature vs. Nurture

The debate regarding the extent to which genetics (nature) or environment (nurture) influences personality and intelligence.

Francis Galton

The father of psychometrics who coined the term 'nature vs. nurture' and authored 'Hereditary Genius'.

Heritability Coefficient (h2)

A value between 0 and 1 that estimates the extent to which variations in traits are due to genetic factors.

Monozygotic (MZ) Twins

Identical twins that develop from the same fertilized egg, sharing 100% of their genetic material.

Dizygotic (DZ) Twins

Fraternal twins that develop from separate eggs and share approximately 50% of their genes.

Concordance Rate

The presence of a given trait in both individuals in a twin pair, indicating genetic influence.

J.B. Watson

A psychologist who emphasized nurture in personality development, known for the 'Little Albert' experiment.

Shared vs. Unshared Environment

Shared environments are experiences common to siblings; unshared environments refer to unique experiences individual to each child.

The Bell Curve

A controversial book by Herrnstein and Murray discussing IQ disparities and socio-economic class structure.

Assortative Mating

A phenomenon where individuals pair with partners who have similar traits, such as IQ.

Environmental Factors

External influences like social experiences and upbringing that affect individual personality development.

Adoption Studies

Research comparing adopted children's traits to those of their biological and adoptive parents to assess genetic and environmental influences.

Jim Twins

Identical twins raised apart who displayed many similarities in their lives, indicating strong genetic influence.

Differential Parenting

The unique ways in which parents treat their children differently, which may contribute to variations in sibling development.

Intelligence and SES

Studies suggest a correlation between socioeconomic status and cognitive abilities, often indicating that higher SES is associated with higher IQ.