Today most interest in twins serves to determine whether traits come from ones environment or from genetics. However, throughout time, twins have been a constant source of entertainment and amazement for society. Twins differ very little, and according to an e-mail interview with Dr. Nancy Segal, the American attraction to them is due to our high value and appreciation of independency and personal differences. Segal believes the similarity of twins contrasts greatly with Americans values and this contrast sparks interest, almost to the nature of a circus sideshow. Because most singletons find the eerie alikeness of twins mystifying, myths and urban legends about twin behavior are not uncommon. For instance, the belief twins share more than just a special bond, but a type of telepathic connection, is commonly held. To explain this seeming telepathy, Piontelli writes:
It would not be unreasonable to hypothesize that an uncommonly early and constant exposure to each other's rhythms, bodily substances, behavioral patterns, and body language may foster a heightened reciprocal sensitivity in some twins. Some kind of familiarity with each others rhythms may already start before birth. This would not imply esoteric ‘telepathic understanding'. It may only suggest that twins, being constantly exposed to the manifestations of their co-twins, could sense from an unusually early age, and hence later perceive in an uncommon way, the signals of the other twin. (120)
So twins do not have extrasensory perception, but then, why are they so similar? Is it because they are raised in the same environment or is it simply because they share the same genes? Twins may be mystifying to most the general population, but they are very interesting to scientists studying genetics. Today twin study is the major source of information fueling the scientific debate of nature verses nurture. Nature refers to traits genetic or inherited from parents and nurture refers to all traits non-genetic or stemming from the environment. The answers received from this debate help to define human differences. Understanding these differences...
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...nbsp; Imitation arises as another complication associated with twin studies. Many critics claim twins learn there are benefits to imitating one another, which can skew results. As most children learn by imitating their parents, twins obviously learn by imitating each other as well. This behavior begins at a very early age (Piontelli 121). Many times a parent praises one twin, while the co-twin watches. The co-twin proceeds to imitate their twin in order to be praised as well (Piontelli 122). However, according to the interview with Segal, imitation is an "overblown criticism" of twin studies.
Another criticism of twin research stems from a premise called the equal environments assumption or EEA. In Entwined Lives, Segal says, "when researchers compare identical and fraternal twins' mental or medical similarities they assume that environmental influences affecting traits are the same for identical and fraternal twins" (318). In other words, scientists must assume that people in the lives of MZ and DZ twins treat them exactly the same. However, many researchers found MZ twins are “treated more similarly than their DZ counterparts” (Evans 77).
When you study the genes of twins, specifically identical and fraternal twins, you will come across similarities in appearance and genetic makeup. This is simply because they share genetic data which causes some of their genes to be the identical. Doctors are able to detect this because it is based on an entire genetic makeup, not individual genes. Geneticists have failed to discover a single gene that possesses one disease or disorder. How do they think they would be able to find the specific trait for musical talent if they are unable to even find a distinguishable trait, such as autism? Steven declares a message to sum up this argument, “Neural development is staggeringly complex process guided by many genes interacting in feedback loops. The effect of one gene and the effect of a second gene don’t produce the sum of their effects when they’re simultaneously present” (Pinker
Nature is the inherent features of something. Genetics also is a big part of nature. Anais and Sam are identical twins. They were separated at birth and adopted by different parents. Although they did not grow up together they had come to know that they have a lot of similarities. These girls have the same laugh, it sounds the exact same. Anais and Sam both do not like when the shower curtain touches them, and they even have the same favorite drink. Twins have very special bonds that include having very familiar likings and dislikings. They also have most of the same habits and interests. A big thing that is common among twins is that they end up getting the same IQ results and test scores. Some scientist had even shown that twins are more
Identical, conjoined, and half-twins are all examples of intrinsic variability in humans. Intrinsic variability exists in all animals and is an adaptive mechanism built into the nervous system in response to input. This mechanism allows humans to distinguish the same inputs as different from one another and therefore, the possible outputs vary with time. It is possible that due to identical genetic input, the twins could share identical neural pathways and identical I-Functions. This hypothesis could explain the identical behaviors and inter-connectedness of feelings and thoughts that twins share. Differences that are seen in twin behaviors could simply be due to intrinsic variability causing differing output or behaviors.
As read in many different articles and the comments after the articles, people either are confused and name them unknown, or they call them two people with one body. The question to if they are punished the same seems to go on a mystery, but as their mother,Patty, states that they are two different people and wants them to be treated as two different people. This gives the assumption that in their household that they are both punished differently, but it is not certain. There is no other evidence that has been found of how they would be punished if they were to get in trouble. But each twin seems to want to be known as an individual rather than one, they both want their own driver's license even if they both are in the picture. However, along with moral responsibility one is in control of one side of the body as the other is in control of the other side; Abby is in control of the right side and Brittany controls the left side. They can’t sense each other's side, each side is similar to a body of its own. They are able to make their own decisions and plans, as said in the video. But most of the time they come to a compromise of what to do and how to go about things in the future. They each say that they are very opposite of each other as Abby likes pink and is more into girly and preppy things and Brittany likes the
...reversals that question the validity of that assumption. She believes that it is more important to recognize the fact that twins and other multiplies try to find ways to distinguish themselves from each other (p. 124).
Have you ever heard that twins could have completely different personalities, they could be friends, siblings, or possibly even enemies. Author Eric Wright creates a story about a writer who specializes in writing
...ther people are undoubtedly do to the uniqueness of the human brain. However, the statements suggesting causality and global functioning of mirror neurons are misleading. Mirror neurons are only one important piece of a very complex puzzle.
As I walk through the crowded mall with my sister, little children stare, most adults do a discreet double take, and some bold adults question us outright. “Wow, are you twins?” “Do you know you look the same?” “What’s it like to be a twin?” “Do you have, like, psychic powers, or something with each other?” These are the most common questions twins hear. Almost all twins don’t really mind them and sometimes the attention is cool. Mostly, we just smile tolerantly at each other and answer them as best we can. After all, we don’t really know how to describe being a twin. We have never known anything else. Nonetheless, here we are. So, as a person who might not know exactly what she is talking about, I will try to briefly explanation to the general public the experience of being a genetic quirk.
Dr. Eileen Pearlman says that “The separation and individuation process begins early in life, and for some twins it takes longer than others as not only do twins need to learn to separate and individuate from their mothers but they also have to learn to separate and individuate from each other.” The constant comparison from individuals looking into their life can make this harder for twins. People need to understand that with being a twin there are advantages but also disadvantages. People and even family members of twins can fail to realize this. The figment of people's imagination is that twins get along, have similar tastes, and are the exactly alike, almost the same
Many twin studies have also shown results that genetically identical twins (MZ) have a greater number of inheriting depression than non-identical twins (DZ). For instance an experiment carried out by Prince in 1968 expected that MZ twins would have a higher concordance for depression compared to DZ twins. Results found were that the MZ twins who were raised in the same environment/family showed a concordance of 68% and DZ twins had a lower concordance of 28% for bipolar disorder only. This is evidenc...
Over the last couple of decades scientist, psychologist, and people have questioned over the idea, and the stereo typical question of nature versus nurture. Using twin studies, scientist have been given the understanding that the environment and heredity influence their behavior development. With using the adoption in twin studies, the doctors and scientists have been able to tell the extent to which the resemblance and families is due to the jeans that are shared and due to the environment that is shared. Because of the jeans that are identical carried by the monozygotic twins, identical twins, there has been a great appeal to most scientists and doctors. Psychologist have been able to link the strong genetic
Fate, F. (2013, January 16). Identical twins: The truth behind their similarity. The Frozen Fate Reproductive Medicine Ethics. Retrieved November 16, 2013, from http://thefrozenfate.wordpress.com/2013/01/16/identical-twins-the-truth-behind-their-similarity/
They also look at Genetic Epidemiological Studies. These three studies deal with twins in relation to th...
I have always been fascinated by conjoined twins and have always had questions about them like; what do the Siamese have to do with conjoined twins? Why does this form of twin happen? What, if any genes cause this? What types of Conjoined twins are there? How does the environment affect, if at all, the biological families' gene pool? In my research in efforts to prepare this paper, I found the answers to this question and many more. This term paper will cover the types of conjoined twins, the biological occurrence that causes conjoined twins, a look into some of the genetic and environmental causes of conjoined twins, the types of conjoined twins and the genetic and social impact of conjoined twins.
It is true that identical twins who are raised together have many things in common,