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out well” (Turecki). In the circumstance of rowdy children, psychologists often

question both sides of genetic and environmental factoring. Are mischievous

children born that way, or raised that way? The answer may be both. With

pioneering studies on temperamental children, Stella Chess, M.D., and Alexander

Thomas, M.D., concluded that children were initially born a certain way, and

then because of the way they interacted with their environment, they continued

to grow this way. Chess and Alexander also concluded through their “difficult

child” research in the late 1950’s, that ten percent of normal children were

difficult children from birth (Tuecki). Expanding on the research of Chess and

Alexander, Stanley Turecki, M.D., reestimated that twenty percent of normal

children were temperamentally difficult from the time of birth. Turecki, a

confused parent himself, recommended that “parents of difficult children make an

important distinction between willful misbehavior which is under the control of

the child, and expressions of innate temperament, which are really beyond a

child’s control” (Turecki). Thus it is crucial for parents to recognize which

misbehaviors are related to genetic aspects and which are associated with

behavioral decisions when discipline is necessary.

Psychologists such as Turecki, Rowe, Alexander, Chess and numerous

others have all added contributing ideas and research to the point of nature

plus nurture, but one man’s revolutionary research and ideas could not be

ignored on this subject. Thomas J. Bouchard’s famous studies on twins at the

University of Minnesota allowed the comparison between exact human genetic

copies (”John Bouchard” Encarta Encyclopedia). These unique experiments modified

the scientific views of genetic similarities and the influence of environmental

surroundings. This research conducted by Bouchard and other twin researchers

also presented accurate information on the importance of heredity and

environment (Turecki). Similarities between identical and even fraternal twins

supports the superior importance of a genetical impact on behavior. In the

opposite view, however, differences intervening between behaviors of identical

or fraternal twins defends the importance of the upbringing environment (Rathus

p.112).

Research in this subject, originating from Bouchard and others, has

revealed an extensive range of similarities between identical twins raised

together and separately. It is evident that two children sharing all one hundred

percent of their genetic makeup (identical) will present several similarities,

compared to children that only share fifty percent of similar genes. The

physical appearance of identical twins will obviously be more alike in

resemblance, height, weight, and even have more closely related blood

cholesterol levels, than fraternal twins, or other siblings altogether (Rathus

p.112). By studying identical twins that had grown up separate from each other,

Bouchard was appalled by the similarities that endured just as though they had

been reared in the exact environment. Some of these strong behavioral traits

included shyness, activity levels, risk aversion, achievement, optimism,

irritability, sociability, cognitive development, physical gestures, patterns of

speech, and even similar hair-styles and brands of toothpaste (Turecki & Rathus

p.112).

Being a twin involves sharing almost everything together in life from

toys, rooms, or clothing to appearance and psychological characteristics.

Unfortunately, sharing psychological characteristics through hereditary can

possibly lead to sharing psychological disorders as well. It is clear that the

closer the genetic similarities are between twins (identical or fraternal),

family members, or perhaps distant cousins, the more likely similar disorders

are receptive to people in the same gene pool. Studies have proven that

identical twins have a higher fate, than fraternal twins, to share psychological

disorders such as autism, anxiety, substance abuse, and schizophrenia (Rathus

p.112). Hypoglycemia, diabetes, alcoholism, lactose intolerance, and other

biological disorders in the metabolism can also become mutual problems between

identical twins, and also, with a less chance, in fraternal twins as well

(Masters). Determining from the evidence presented by research and studies on

twins, it may appear that the genetic heredity of nature has a prevailing edge

over the environmental factors of behavior. Following his extensive research on

twins, Thomas Bouchard concluded that 1) “Genetic factors exert a pronounced and

pervasive influence on behavioral variability, and 2) the effect of being reared

in the same home is negligible for many psychological traits”(Turecki).

Following his various research on twins it is indisputable that Bouchard heavily

supported the genetical factors involved in behavioral characteristics.

Although Bouchard presented quality evidence behind his statements

supporting the general roles in behavior, the various effects of extreme

environmental situations was overlooked in his findings. This contradicting

evidence later resurfaced through research by Adler, Plomin, Rende, and others

(Rathus p.345). Bouchard also expressed his optimism in genetics, stating that

seventy percent of the variations for

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