Objectives
Students will:
1. learn that environment can influence some personality traits, while others are genetic;
2. understand that the most effective way to study the concept of nature versus nurture is by conducting research with identical and fraternal twins reared separately and together; and
3. discover that the issues of nature versus nurture are still debated in the scientific community.
With your group you will choose two of the following studies/articles. After reading each one discuss your findings and be ready to report out to the class the following questions:
Do you think personality traits are primarily inherited or influenced by environment? What is your evidence?
Why do you think nature versus nurture is debated? Do you think it is possible to answer this question definitively? Why or why not?
Who might be most interested in resolving the nature versus nurture debate? What effect might a resolution have on our society?
Based on what you have learned, do you think it is possible to change your personality? Why or why not? If so, how would you go about making changes?
Nurture:
Childhood Stress
Harlow's Monkeys
Nature:
Twin Studies
Double Mystery
