The Minnesota Study of Identical Twins Reared Apart:)!!!

In 1979, Thomas Joseph Bouchard, Jr. started one the most controversial and famous twin studies in history. It all started when Bouchard came across a pair of twins named Jim Springer and Jim Lewis. These pair of twins had been separated from birth and were reunited at the age of thirty-nine. The twins Bouchard described had found and married women named Linda, divorced, and married for the second time women named Betty. One of the twins had named his only son James Alan, and the other had named him James Allan as well. They both owned dog pets named Toy. After realizing the coincidence and magnitude of this twins history Bouchard arranged to study the pair. He assembled a team and applied for the Pioneer Fund suggesting his findings had a very strong generic influence on almost all medical and psychological traits. When the fund was allowed his work became known as the Minnesota Study of Identical Twins Reared Apart (MISTRA).

This study became to be documented not only by Bouchard but also by the Time, U.S News, New York Times and World Report among others. The final study concluded that an identical twin reared away from his co-twin seems to have an equal chance of being similar to the co-twin in personality, interests and attitude. This leads to the big fact that similarities between twins are due to genes and that the environment does not affect or play a big roll. I believe this was an amazing experiment that showed the world the reality about twins and their similarities and the fact that the experiment was completely ethical makes it even closer to perfection.

Arnold Gesell and the Twins Climbing Stairs!!!

Arnold Gesell elaborated one of the first twin studies conducted using the twin method. This study’s main goal was to examine and study early development. Before starting his experiment or study Arnold noticed that identical twins were very similar both physically and behaviorally or psychologically so he decided to use the co-twin control method to examine the effects of physical training or improvement in the twins. Arnold started his experiment by studying a pair of twins; neither of them could climb stairs when they were forty-six weeks of age. On of the twins was given daily lessons and encouragement on how to climb the stairs, while the co-twin had no stairs in his surroundings. After six weeks of constant practice, the trained twin learned to climb the stairs while the co-twin surprisingly could also climb the stairs.

Gesell later performed or replicated this study with several twins and demonstrated that physical training can cause physical skills to appear sooner but that identical co-twins who were trained later performed the same after a short period of training. Gesell’s experiment demonstrated twins usually demonstrate the same physical skills without having the environment having a great toll or effect. This study was a very simple study that summarized how the environment does or does not influence human behavior. Even though it was a very simple procedure it can be considered unethical for the fact that the twins were separated at a very little age and this could have caused some sort of trauma or psychological problem. Gesell proved and achieved his goal by studying twins.

The BASICS on TWIN STUDIES:)

Twin studies are very common studies scientists like to elaborate due to their wide variety of benefits and information. Twin studies are important for genetic and psychological research. Twins are so easy to analyze and examine because they provide a natural control for experiments. Even though twins are a very common scientific topic this experiments can become very controversial due to the fact that for a scientist it is very easy to damage the twin’s feelings or privacy. Several twin studies are considered unethical.

Twin studies are usually processed to study genetics, embryological, biochemical, immunological, behavioral and sociological aspects. All of these topics can be covered with a twin study due to these variety of topics associated to this studies, twin studies have become very useful and popular for scientist. The basic logic of how twins studies or research can be understood with very little mathematics and the concept of variance. The classic twin study begins by assessing the variance of behavior in a large group, then scientist analyze three main components which are: how much of this is due to genetic (heredity), how much appears to be affected by environmental effects, and events that affect each twin differently. All of these questions are identified scientifically by component A (additive genetics), C (common environment), and E (unique environment). When the ACE is all analyzed and processed scientist and researchers can determine the proportion of variance in traits between the twins.

Operant Conditioning vrs Classical Conditioning

Operant Conditioning and Classical Conditioning are both very different ways to modify or reinforce a certain behavior. I personally believe Operant Conditioning is a better method, trough operant conditioning reinforcment and punishments is used and in many cases this not only punishes bad behavior but helps explain what was done incorrectly. In operant conditioning reinforcers act as incentives for learning. While Classical Conditioning does not provide incentives. On the other hand Classical Conditioning changes an unconditioned response with a condtioned stimuli. A very good example of this is Ivan Pavolv's famous experiment. In his experiment he teached a baby to associate a sound with white furry things and fear. Both of this conditionings involve learning assocition and can both obtain succesful results if used wisely.

Bibliography: http://members.fortunecity.com

"Winners don't punish"-David G. Rand

Many parents often tend to punish their kids for a bad behavior believeing this punishment will correct their behavior but little do they know how uneffective punishment truly is. Punishment can be so agressive in many cases it can lead to destructive outcomes for EVERYBODY involved. In several of this cases the victim learn nothing from the punishment, sometimes not even understanding what he did wrong leaving him with an emotional scar for life. Another downside about punishment is several people use it as a tool to force others to do as they please. This may cause rivary between the individuals involve. In many cases punishment can be perecived as a reward. A very clear example of this is the constant desire for attention kids portray, when kids are crying or screaming parents tend to scream louder or make a bigger deal out of the situation giving the kids the atenttion they want. This only shows them tantrums will get them what they want. Another big disatvange is the fact that children are punished when they are under survellince but once survellience ends the kids believe the punishment does as well. This only makes bad beahvior come back. Punishment without reinforcement is NOT effective at all.

Bibliography: http://www.physorg.com

THE GREAT B.F SKINNER

Burrhus Frederic Skinner was one of the most distinguished American pshycologist, author ,poet inventor and even advocate for social reform. Bf Skinner is widly known for coming up with the operant conditioning chamber and editing his own philospohy of science called Radical Behaviorism. Skinner was very intrested in investigating the behavior of humans and how it easily could be controlled or manipulated, so he decided to found his own school of experimental research psychology. His intense analysis of human behavior formed his great literary work titled, Verbal Behavior. Though the great Skinner was not only focused on analyzing behavior but reforming research methods. One of Skinner's greatest contributions in the research field was the cumulative recorder to measure the rate of response to reinforcement.

Reinforcement was always highlited as extremely important to education by Skinner. Skinner not only analyzed behaviored but seeked to change it and improve it. In a recent survey Skinner was listed as the most influential psychologist of the 20th century.

Bibliography: http:// websapce.ship.edu/cgboer/skinner.htlm

FACT OF THE DAY!

Chewing gum while peeling onions will keep you from crying:)