Hereditary Traits Study: The Mystery of Nature Vs. Nurture Continues

nature vs nurture hereditary traits genetics DNA george holden southern methodist university parenting: a dynamic perspective ann hunt elizabeth hamel twin studies center dr. nancy segal

By Daniel , Parent Herald Jan 13, 08:54 pm

There are two kinds of hereditary traits that children can get from their parents: traits in the DNA and traits that are not in the DNA. The DNA traits are products of nature while the non-DNA traits are the results of nurture.

Parenting News identified certain traits like sense of humor, stubbornness, and many others that are not in the DNA that can be passed on to children through a process of observation and imitation called modelling. "When you observe a behavior in your child, ask yourself, 'Where did that come from?' In many cases for young children, it came from a parent," says George Holden, Ph.D., a psychologist at Southern Methodist University and author of Parenting: A Dynamic Perspective.

An article from The Guardian shared the results of an extensive study about whether human traits are developed by nature or nurture. According to the research, both nature and nurture determine a person's traits.

The researchers collated almost 3,000 studies on twins around the world from the past five decades and they conclude that the average disparity for a person's traits and diseases acquired is 49 percent genetic and 51 percent environmental.

A story from BBC about a pair of twins, Ann Hunt and Elizabeth Hamel, who spent their lives separated from each other but were reunited 78 years later, show the effect of nature and nurture. The twins have some fascinating similarities but big differences as well.

The twins' similarities include being widowed, being grandmothers, being prayerful, and a habit of acting up in front of a camera. Their big difference is that Hunt stayed in one place all her life while Hamel moved to other places.

"Fascinating work on separated twins shows that here are twins growing up in totally different families, sometimes even totally different cultures, and yet they bring with them similar types of attitudes -- in politics, religion, social behavior," says Twin Studies Center director Dr. Nancy Segal about hereditary traits, in an interview.