[GENETICS] Biological - Adoption

Question 1

[ADOPTION STUDIES]

Explain 3 strengths

Answer 1

+ Adoption studies make it easier to separate the nature/nurture debate

+ Studies show correlation between biological and adoptive parents

+ Mednick ET.AL. suggests both genes and environment are important but genes may be more significant

Question 2

[ADOPTION STUDIES]

Explain 3 weaknesses

Answer 2

• Ages of adoption may mean adopted children have been influenced by their natural parents
• Adoption is not always random
• Practical issues = info about biological parents may not always be available for comparison

Question 3

[ADOPTION STUDIES]
What does adoption studies focus on

Answer 3

The impact of nurture on children who are raised by non-biological parents

Are criminals born or made?

Question 4

[ADOPTION STUDIES]

Explain Nurture

Answer 4

The way the environment and other social factors can influence behaviours

Question 5

[ADOPTION STUDIES]

Explain Nature

Answer 5

When factors such as genetics and other biological factors affect behaviour

Question 6

[ADOPTION STUDIES]

Explain nature in adoption studies

Answer 6

child is more similar to their biological parent

Question 7

[ADOPTION STUDIES]

Explain nurture in adoption studies

Answer 7

child is more similar to the adoptive parents, meaning environment is more important

Question 8

[ADOPTION STUDIES]

Explain the findings of Crowe’s study on females

Answer 8

If an adoptee’s biological mother had a conviction the adoptee had a 50% chance of having had a conviction
If biological mother did not, their chances were 5%

Question 9

[ADOPTION STUDIES]

Explain what Mednick found

Answer 9

Sons are more likely to have criminal records if biological parents have (20%)