Case Study Of Twins Reared Apart

Register to read the introduction… Both of her parents are also slim and always have been. It could be argued that Cheryl is slim due to the genes she inherited from them – nature. It could also be argued that Cheryl is only slim because she attends the gym regularly and eats a balanced diet - nurture. From a young age Cheryl’s parents encouraged her to attend dance classes as a form of exercise. Did this contribute to her choosing to maintain a healthy lifestyle? Or was she made that way? I think that being in the public eye, she is constantly aware the media will pick up on her putting on any weight. So because she has been in the public eye from a youngish age, she has maintained her slim figure because she doesn’t want to be critisised within the media and the environment she is …show more content…
Twin studies show this. Twins who have had the same upbringing can be different, but twins who do not have the same upbringing and are adopted can be similar.

Minnesota Study of Twins Reared Apart (MISTRA) – An argument for nature.
In this study, researchers focused on the tale of identical twins who were separated at birth and adopted by different families. It wasn’t until they were 39 that they met, and they were surprised to find they both suffered headaches, bit their nails, smoked Salems, took up woodworking and even vacationed on the same beach in Florida. www.scpr.org (2012)
The study by researchers from Edinburgh University also suggests nature has a greater impact on development. The researchers found identical twins were twice as likely as non-identical twins to share the same personality traits. They said their DNA had the greatest impact.
Research has demonstrated that genes can change, identical twins with the same genetic inheritance can turn out completely different and the impact of environmental influences can be passed down the generations. www.independent.co.uk (2012)
Abi and Brittany