1. Developmental Psychology
Nature vs. Nurture

2. Agenda Midterm Warnings Activity Due Reading Assessments Due
Intro to Developmental Psychology
Nature vs Nurture

3. Developmental Psychology
Painting humans with broad brushes
Cultures
Genders
Age
What is developmental psychology?
The study of patterns of growth and change across the lifespan
Conception to Death

4. Covering Development Conception – Birth Infancy – Early Childhood
Early Childhood – Adolescence
Adolescence – Adulthood
Adulthood – Death

5. A Tale of Two Babies
One is Cute
One is Ugly

6. A Tale of Two Babies The You Equation
Each baby grows up and has anxiety in social situations (social anxiety disorder).
Guess how much of this anxiety is due to genetics.
Guess for the cute baby.
Guess for the ugly baby.
Write down two percentages. Think about why.

7. Nature-Nurture
Heritability – variability among individuals that we can attribute to genes
For example: Height = ~90%
Are children of a depressed parent more likely to be depressed themselves?
Shared Environment
Shared Genes
How can we disentangle environment and biology?
Studying twins, siblings, parents, and adoption.

8. Biological Influence in Twins
Jim Lewis and Jim Springer
First wife named Linda
Second wife named Betty
Son named James Allan
Dog named Toy
Enjoyed woodworking
Drove Chevys
Heavy smokers
Had tree-wrapping benches in lawns
Compulsive and Neat

9. Twin Similarities Personality Abilities Intelligence Interests
Divorce Rates
Fraternal twins – 1.6 times more likely
Identical twins – 5.5 times more likely
Disease
Fraternal twin has Alzheimer's – 30% greater risk
Identical twin has Alzheimer's – 60% greater risk
Self-Esteem
Aggression
Addiction

10. Nurture Influence The “Leftovers” in identical twins Adoption Studies
Similarities to Biological and Adoptive parents
Areas with more similarity to biological parents:
Similar to (but not as extensive as) the twins list.
Areas with more similarity to adoptive parents:
Attitudes, values, manners, faith, politics
Outcomes of Adopted Children
Comparing children from parents who considered putting their children up for adoption to those who did
Higher Intelligence, More Altruistic, Happier