Running head: MAKE A DIFFERENCE PAPER

Make a Difference Paper

Bianca R. Williams
University of North Texas

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Among psychologists, there is an on going debate on the theory of Nature vs Nurture

(Eagly & Wood, 2013). Nature is best defined as the contribution of an individuals genes on
their physical structure and behavior (Cacioppo & Freberg, 2013). Nurture is best defined as the
contribution of an individuals environment on their physical structure and behavior (Collins,
Maccoby, Steinberg, Hetherington & Bornstein, 2000). Genotype and phenotype play a key role
in nature vs nurture (Cacioppo & Freberg, 2013). Genotype is the actual makeup of an
individuals alleles, and phenotype is the physical appearance of an individual (Cacioppo &
Freberg, 2013). Without the use of genotype and phenotype it would be harder to distinguish
which traits and aspects are correlated with nature and which are correlated with nurture Collins,
Maccoby, Steinberg, Hetherington & Bornstein, 2000).
One of the most efficient ways of gathering information about nature vs nurture is
through twin studies (Walker, Petrill, Spinath & Plomin, 2004). This is because twins have a
similar genetic makeup and due to this researchers can test the twins personality, temperament,
attachment, and academic success in order to see if any aspects correlate directly with an
individual environment or their genes (Walker, Petrill, Spinath & Plomin, 2004). For example,
studying a set of twins academic success in a particular subject can give many answers to
whether intelligence really nature based (Walker, Petrill, Spinath & Plomin, 2004). Intelligence is
perceived to be to hereditary and genetically based (Walker, Petrill, Spinath & Plomin, 2004).
Many researchers are beginning to use behavioral genetics in order to answer questions
of the nature vs nurture debate (Collins, Maccoby, Steinberg, Hetherington & Bornstein, 2000).
Behavioral genetics is the study of how genes affect an individuals behavior (Collins, Maccoby,
Steinberg, Hetherington & Bornstein, 2000). An example of how behavioral genetics is used to
determine nature vs nurture concepts is through standardized tests of academic excellence

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(Walker, Petrill, Spinath & Plomin, 2004). By looking at the standardized tests, researchers can
draw conclusions that are unbiased and make assessments of intelligence based on the results of
a neutral test (Walker, Petrill, Spinath & Plomin, 2004).
Psychologists today are looking at how nature and nurture intertwine in order to produce
explanations of certain aspects like personality (Cacioppo & Freberg, 2013). A key way that
nature and nurture intertwine is through epigenetics (Cacioppo & Freberg, 2013). Epigenetics is
the study of how genes and an individuals environment influence their phenotype (Cacioppo &
Freberg, 2013). Due to this method of research it is obvious that nature and nurture work
together to explain different aspects of an individual (Cacioppo & Freberg, 2013).
Developmental aspects of an individual are linked to evolutionary arguments of natural selection
and adaptation (McCrae, Costa, Ostendorf, Angleitner, Hrebickova, Avia, Sanz, SanchesBernardos, Kusdil, Woodfield, Saunders & Smith, 2000). Developmental aspects are based on
traits that are inherited from ancestors in order for humans to survive (Cacioppo & Freberg,
2013).
Researchers believe that personality is influenced by both nature and nurture (McCrae,
Costa, Ostendorf, Angleitner, Hrebickova, Avia, Sanz, Sanches-Bernardos, Kusdil, Woodfield,
Saunders & Smith, 2000). Personality is the characteristic of patterns of thinking, feeling, and
behaving (Cacioppo & Freberg, 2013). Nature influences personality because personality is
swayed by an individuals genes of serotonin and the serotonin transporter gene (Cacioppo &
Freberg, 2013). Serotonin influences an individuals mood and behavior (Cacioppo & Freberg,
2013). The serotonin transporter gene, depending on the length of the strand, influences an
individuals personality of how anxious or risk-taking that individual is (Cacioppo & Freberg,
2013). Personality is also viewed in the way that the environment influences an individuals

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temperament, values, skills, attitudes, and adaptations for the environment (McCrae, Costa,
Ostendorf, Angleitner, Hrebickova, Avia, Sanz, Sanches-Bernardos, Kusdil, Woodfield, Saunders
& Smith, 2000).
An individuals temperament is assumed to be nature based (McCrae, Costa, Ostendorf,
Angleitner, Hrebickova, Avia, Sanz, Sanches-Bernardos, Kusdil, Woodfield, Saunders & Smith,
2000). Temperament is the prevailing patterns of moods, activities, and emotional responsiveness
(Cacioppo & Freberg, 2013). A common example of an environment that influences a childs
personality is believed to be their parents (Collins, Maccoby, Steinberg, Hetherington &
Bornstein, 2000). Researchers state that this is why most boys grow up to be similar to their
father or male father figure and women tend to be similar to their mothers (Eagly & Wood,
2013). Attachment is a kind of emotional relationship that children have with their mother or
caregiver (Collins, Maccoby, Steinberg, Hetherington & Bornstein, 2000). Some examples of
types of attachments include: secure attachments, anxious attachments, and avoidant attachments
(Cacioppo & Freberg, 2013). Attachment has a lot to do with the culture and environment that
the child is brought up in (Pinker, 2004). Temperament and attachment go hand in hand because
there has to be a healthy balance of the two in order for a family to be a good fit for one another
(Cacioppo & Freberg, 2013).
Biological psychology is described as physiological traits that influence mind and
behavior (Pinker, 2004). Biological psychology is thought of as nature based in the same way
that evolutionary psychology is because these are two psychology studies that are most
correlated with genetics and heritability (Cacioppo & Freberg, 2013). Social psychology is
defined as how our behaviors and attitudes are influenced by the presence of others (Cacioppo &
Freberg, 2013). An example of a circumstance where social psychology could be observed would

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be how an athletic performs with a big crowd in front of them as opposed to individually in a
gym (Cacioppo & Freberg, 2013). When an individual interacts socially with their environment
that person becomes more influenced by the environment and the above example is a prime
reason that the presence of other people can change the outcome of events (Pinker, 2004).
In my personal experiences with the nature vs. nurture debate it is primarily based on the
fact that I have a twin sister and how the debate applies to our similarities and differences. In
reference to social psychology, I am typically very nervous in front of big crowds and forget
everything that I have practiced for. However, my sister is the exact opposite because she
performed in every school musical there was and she was never nervous or scared to get on
stage. This is an example of how ones environment plays a key role in social psychology
(Pinker, 2004). In addition, it also exhibits how genes do not impact social psychology because
we have similar genes and different reactions to social situations.
Researchers believe that intelligence is influenced by nature (Walker, Petrill, Spinath &
Plomin, 2004). At the end of the study after comparing a sets of twins academic achievement
levels, the researchers found that intelligence is even more strongly associated with genes than
the researchers had originally assumed because fraternal and identical twins had similar results.
(Walker, Petrill, Spinath & Plomin, 2004). However, identical twins had a stronger correlation
with one another (Walker, Petrill, Spinath & Plomin, 2004). Intelligence is an area where my
sister and I differ substantially. I am very math driven and am geared to be more of a problemsolving mind. As for my sister, she is very right-brained and creative. However, her worst
subject is math because she says, It does not click well with me and math happens to to my
major. We graduated high school with entirely different GPAs and even in college we still have
different GPAs. If you look at the standardized tests that we took in high school, we scored on

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entirely different sides of the spectrum on the SAT and ACT. The researchers used standardized
tests to determine the assessment of sets of twins intelligence (Walker, Petrill, Spinath &
Plomin, 2004). In my experience, intelligence does not seem to be a genetic trait.
Personality is an aspect that is influenced by both nature and nurture (McCrae, Costa,
Ostendorf, Angleitner, Hrebickova, Avia, Sanz, Sanches-Bernardos, Kusdil, Woodfield, Saunders
& Smith, 2000). As stated above, parents have a large influence on their childrens personality
starting at a young age (Collins, Maccoby, Steinberg, Hetherington & Bornstein, 2000). As for
my experience with personality, I would agree that parents do influence their childrens
personality. My attitude is a lot like my dads in the way that he always wants to be the
peacekeeper and make everyone happy. My dad and I have a positive outlook on life and live by
the motto of, If life gives you lemons, make lemonade. My sister has my moms temper and
her stubbornness. Another personality trait that is different is that I am introvert and my sister is
an extrovert. This may be due to the fact that, when we were younger, I spent a lot more time
with my dad playing games than my sister did. In contrast, my sister spent a lot of time with my
mom going to stores and eating out together than I did. Our personalities represent a prime
example of how our environment shaped our personalities into the way that they are today.
An individuals temperament is based on genetics, and how our genetics give us our
moods and emotional responsiveness (Cacioppo & Freberg, 2013). There is a spectrum along
which different aspects of each part of a persons temperament follows. On the Surgency
spectrum my sister and I are both on the same side of the spectrum of being happy and active. As
for the Negative Affect spectrum my sister and I are not on the same side of the spectrum. My
sister is on the side that is angrier and more frustrated. I am on the opposite side of the spectrum
that is not as easily angered or frustrated. As for Effortful Control temperance spectrum, I am

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more on the side of the spectrum that can pay attention for long periods of time and my sister is
on the side that is easily distracted. To an extent I would agree that my sister and Is temperament
was more inherited because the sides of every spectrum represents one of my parents and this
shows how each of us inherited their temperaments. Attachment follows temperament in the
sequence of schemes. Our attachment to our mother is a secure attachment because our mom is
attentive and caring and as a result we are secure enough to explore different environments
(Cacioppo & Freberg, 2013).
I have also experienced, to an extent, behavioral genetics. As previously stated,
behavioral genetics is the impact of genes on an individuals behavior (Collins, Maccoby,
Steinberg, Hetherington & Bornstein, 2000). As twins, it is proven that even if we are fraternal,
we are more genetically similar than siblings or cousins (Walker, Petrill, Spinath & Plomin,
2004). As genetically inclined as we are, our behavior could not be more different. However our
mannerisms are exactly the same. My sister behaves more aggressively towards others as
imposed to myself where I am more passive. For example, when someone asks our opinion on a
subject my sister is straightforward and frank. On the other hand, I tend to sugar coat items and
try to make things seem less than they actually are. Another behavior that we differ in is that I
behave more generously and my sister behaves more miserly. A prime example of this is that I
always will share my food with anyone that wants to try a piece of it. My sister is the exact
opposite because she does not share her food by any means. Although our overall behavior is
quite different, our mannerisms are exactly the same. We are both very respectful in public and
we always put on a happy face even when times are tough. In my case, behavioral genetics does
correlate how genes influence behavior because my sister and I have similar genes and yet we
have different behaviors but the same overall mannerisms.

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If scientists knew this information about fraternal twins and their correspondence with
genetics and behavior then it would make it easier for researchers to pinpoint exactly which
aspects of an individual are nature based and which aspects are nurture based. Not only would
researchers be able to know this, but also researchers would be able to know how to test these
aspects of twins. For example, in public my sister and I are more similar than behind closed
doors like with our mannerisms. Therefore, researchers would know that it is best to put us in a
home environment setting in order to really observe our behaviors. By knowing this information
above, researchers could decide if they wanted to see how fraternal twins and identical twins
differ in the way that their genes affect their behavior and how ones environment affects
fraternal twins as opposed to identical twins.

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References

Cacioppo, J. T., & Freberg, L. A. (2013). Discovering Psychology: The Science of Mind.
Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
Collins, A.W., Maccoby, E.E., Steinburg, L., Hetherington, M.E., & Bornstein, M.H. (2000).
Contemporary research on parenting: The case for nature and nurture. American
Psychologist, 55(2). 218-232.
Eagly, A.H., &Wood, W. (2013). The nature-Nurture debates. Sage Journals, 8(3). 340-357.
McCrae, R.R., Costa, P.T., Ostendorf, F., Angleitner, A., Avia, M.D., Sanz, J., Sanchez-Berardos,
M.L., Kusdil, E.M., Woodfield, R., Saunders, P.R., & Smith, P.B. (2000). Nature over
nurture: Temperament, personality, and life span development. Journal of Personality
and Social Psychology, 78(1). 173-186.
Pinker, S. (2004). Why nature & nurture wont go away. The MIT Press, 133(4). 5-17.
Walker, S.O., Petrill, S.A., Spinath, F.M., &Plomin, R. (2004). Nature, nurture and academic
achievements: A twin study of teacher assessments of 7-year-olds. British Journal of
Educational Psychology, 74. 323-342.