Adoption method
Sources:
An adoption method referred to as the "adoption method" was discussed by in several podcast episodes. This method is used to study the effects of genetics and environment (nature versus nurture).
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Adoption Studies and Genetic Influence:
- Plomin highlights that biological parents who give up their child for adoption at birth allow researchers to examine the genetic influence versus the adoptive parents' environmental impact. For example, studies showed that adopted children do not correlate with their adoptive parents regarding Body Mass Index, despite sharing food and lifestyle, but correlate significantly with their biological parents whom they never met after birth. This clearly indicates a genetic influence over an environmental one 1.
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Nature vs. Nurture within Adoption:
- Plomin discusses that the adoption method is akin to a social experiment. He explains that while adoption allows for the separation of genetic factors from environmental factors, the nature versus nurture debate can be explored more thoroughly. An example is the study on schizophrenia where one can examine how traits run in families due to genetics rather than environment 2.
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Comparative Analysis with Twin Studies:
- Plomin also compares the adoption method with twin studies. Twin studies are experimental from a biological perspective, while adoption studies are more social experiments. Both methods converge on the conclusion that much of what is studied in psychology is heritable, revealing the robust nature of genetic influence 3.
To explore these insights further, you may listen to the related episodes:
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