Child Development

CHDV 30: Reading Response #1 Brianne Patrick Chapters 1-5 Is behavior learned? It is inborn? What about madness, intelligence, and aggression? There is a pivotal relationship between the behavior of people toward their own species and the view of life they hold. A shift began toward the more leveled view that recognizes genetics as well as environmental influences on behavior. Behavioral genetics lies in it’s theory and methods, which consider both genetic and environmental sources of behavioral differences among people. (Page 60) I found this topic interesting because identical twins share the same genetic code and thus are natural clones. Beyond this interest, twins are useful for science. Because identical twins share all of their genes, it is the environment—rather than genetics—that accounts for any differences between them. In elementary school I had a very close friend and she was an identical twin. They look the same, of course, but are very different in other factors. They wore different clothing, played different sports, had different friends and most importantly had completely different personalities. She told me that there were two different types of twins though, the types that are always together, and, well, the types that can’t stand to be around the other. My friend and her sister were not the closest. Mainly because they’d always be asked the weirdest questions. I remember when I first met them I asked if they had the same thoughts. I mean they looked exactly the same and they were blood related, so why not? They did not have the same thoughts. At the time I had no siblings; I didn’t know how it worked.
But really, identical twins are just two normal people who happen to look the same.