NATURE VS NURTURE AND
HUMAN DIVERSITY
Chapter 4
2
How can heritability and the effects
of environment be studied?
Twin and Adoption Studies
Separated Twins
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15629096
3
Biological Versus Adoptive Relatives
4
What is affected by genes (nature)?
6
What is affected by parenting
(nurture)?
Heritability

How much of the differences between people can
be explained by genetics
Gene-Environment Interaction
8
Cultural influences
Cultural Influences

Individualist versus Collectivist Societies
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Gender Similarities
Gender Differences
12
•Biology
•Sexuality
•Physical Aggression
•Social Power
•Social Connectedness
Review
Adoptive parents are least likely to influence the
________ of their adopted children.
A. personality traits
B. religious beliefs
C. political attitudes
D. moral values
Review
If a culture emphasizes personal goals and
individual achievements, it is mostly likely a(n)
________ culture.
A.
B.
C.
D.
interdependent
individualist
collectivist
naturalist
Review
Little Bethany loves new faces and stimuli, and
laughs easily. People respond to her with
playful smiles and tickles, which makes her
giggle and ask for more. This represents
___________ between genetic
predispositions and environments.
A.
B.
C.
D.
an interaction
natural selection
heritability
gender typing
Review
If weight were 50 percent heritable, it would be most
accurate to say that:
A. your weight is equally influenced by nature and by
nurture.
B. your mother’s genes are responsible for half of your
weight, and your father’s genes explain the other half.
C. nature explains about half of the differences we observe
among people.
D. there is very little you can do to override the power of
your genes in influencing your weight.