Recording-2025-01-28T18:07:39.260Z

Longitudinal Studies

• Definition: A research method that follows participants over an extended period of time, often checking in every few years.

• Example: Harvard study comparing groups of different ages.

• ABCD RN project: Followed 100 infants from low-income families in North Carolina until their mid-thirties.

  • Included control and experimental groups.

Nature vs. Nurture

• Nature: Hereditary traits and genetic predispositions at birth.

• Nurture: Environmental factors affecting development, such as family interactions, education, and culture.

• Development psychologists explore the influence of nature vs. nurture using twin and family studies, as well as adoption studies.

Epigenetics

• Definition: Study of how environmental factors influence gene expression.

• Example: A predisposition to skin cancer affected by environmental behaviors, like sun protection.

• Research Inspiration: Nadine Brooks Harris’s work on external factors impacting individual health.

• Adverse Childhood Experiences: Effects of trauma (e.g., divorce, incarceration) impacting development and gene expression.

Trauma's Impact on Generations

• Study of trauma's effects through historical events (e.g., WWII famine).

• Findings: Parents' and grandparents' experiences can lead to biological changes in offspring.

• Neuroscientist Bianca Jones Marlin's research: Mice studies show altered responses to environmental stimuli due to trauma.

• Method: Pairing almond smell with electric shock to observe changes in genes across generations.

  • Result: Increased almond receptors in offspring's noses, indicating transference of trauma effects.

Twin Studies

• Types of Twins:

  • Identical twins (developed from a single fertilized egg): Share genes but may have gene variations.

  • Fraternal twins (developed from two separate eggs).

• Importance: Twin studies reveal genetic vs. environmental influences on personality and behavior.

• Example Research: Studies of twins separated at birth to assess traits influenced by genetics versus environment.