adoption studies Flashcards
A01
adoption studies involve looking at an adoptees genetically similar relatives compared to their adoptive relatives who share the same environment as the adoptee
adoption studies remove there role of the environment so if the individual still develops the condition we can say its due to the genetics as grown up in a different environment.
adoption studies are important to society as we can understand If a condition is due to genetics or enviro, if found to be due ti enviro shows the influence that parenting has on child
Heston found that SZ is developed mainly due to genetics as found that of the 47 ppts with mothers with SZ 5 had been hospitalised with SZ and 3 were chronically ill with SZ
A03.1
weakness: in some cases adoptees are put into care which is similar to their genetic parents/ relatives in terms of class, race, ethnicity or religion, which removes the control over the environment meaning results may be measuring environment not genetics causing invalidities
strength; although often use large sample sizes in adoption studies therefore any anomalies/ confounding variables cancelled out during statistical analysis
A03.2
weakness: although adoption studies can be quite deterministic either environment or genetic and state that only one cause is the cause of the condition not a combination although psychologist now suggest that more often thann not its a combination of the 2 factors limiting usefulness of adoption studies as we cant assume that if there is found not to be similar characteristics to genetic parents, not necessarily due to enviro as even when share same enviro children sometimes don’t turn out the same as parents at all.
strength: ethical, consent/ presumptive consent
weakness: although can create a rift in adoption families highlighting differences between step siblings and may also create self doubt and SFP e.g. criminal gene unfortunate comparisons
application
although can create a second chance for individuals may be able to prevent onset of bad gene due to much better environment surrounding, sense of hope and use prevention techniques to prevent onset
