Week 11 - Nature vs Nurture: Twins and Atypical development

Question 1

What is the updated theoretical model?

Answer 1

There are innate mechanisms but they must have input and be nurtured in order to flourish; a combination of nature and nurture

Question 2

What can provide evidence for the new theoretical model?

Answer 2

• Twin studies: exemplifies nature
• Input: exemplifies nurture
• Learning conditions: exemplifies conditions needed for learning

Question 3

Monozygotic twins vs non-twins and dizygotic twins study

Name
Date
Method
Results

Answer 3

• Tomblin and Buckwalter 1998
• MZ twins will show more similar language skills than DZ
• DZ twins will show more similar language skills than non-twins
• DZ pairs more similar than non-twins
• Suggests genetic role with environmental factors

Question 4

Monozygotic vs Dizygotic twins environment study

Name
Date
Method
Results

Answer 4

• Viding et al. 2004
• Limited influence from nurture and strong role of nature found
• Gender didn’t cause environmental differences
• DZ same sex vs DZ opposite were closely related

Question 5

Adopted children study

Name
Date
Method
Results

Answer 5

• Thompson et al. 1985
• Adopted children, adopted parents and biological parents
• Adopted childs language correlated with biological parent, not adopted parent
• Evidence for nature

Question 6

Atypical development vocal but not hearing study

Name
Date
Method
Results

Answer 6

• Oller and Eilers 1988
• Some children could hear, some couldn’t
• All infants babbled
• Hearing infants babbled 6-10 months
• Deaf infants babbled 11-26 months but wasn’t canonical
• 3 Infants who babbled 5 months after onset developed some speech

Question 7

Atypical development vocal but hear late study

Name
Date
Method
Results

Answer 7

• Niparko et al. 2010
• Deaf children
• Cochlear implant before 18 months, 18 months-3 years or after 3 years
• Children who got implant earlier developed better language skills
• Language acquisition can take place if conditions of environment are sufficient

Question 8

Atypical development hearing but not vocal study

Name
Date
Method
Results

Answer 8

• Jiang and Morrison 2003
• Tracheotomised mean age 3 years
• Children with shorter tracheotomy had more typical language use
• Tracheotomy doesn’t delay much, neurological issues are more prevalent

Question 9

Summary of nature vs nurture evidence

Answer 9

• Suggets importance of both biological and environmental factors
• Nature must be correct for Nurture to be effective
• Critical period = environmental factors need to be correct during period to be effective