Thursday, December 26 at 2:00 pm
Parenting Is Overrated: Nature versus Nurture
What shapes us more: our DNA, or the way we’re raised? This debate, commonly recognized as “nature versus nurture,” has drawn disagreement for thousands of years. So which one matters more? Emerging genetic research indicates that the scale may be tipping toward biology – but not all trust the research. Proponents of the “nature” camp argue it is DNA that determines who we are, as evidenced by identical twins and triplets who are separated at birth and, once reunited, show remarkable similarities despite different upbringings. Rather than trying to identify the perfect parenting style, they argue, caregivers should look to their children’s DNA to identify natural strengths and challenges to promote overall health and well-being. But others strongly disagree, saying that parenting is very important, and the individuals who rear us influence our development, growth, and, ultimately, our lives. The “nurture” camp also points to studies that show how beliefs and behaviors are not innate, as evidenced by stark differences in the expression of adolescence and other life stages across different cultures. Are they right? Or is parenting overrated?
Debaters:
Robert Plomin
Professor of Behavioral Genetics, King’s College London
Robert Plomin is a leading behavioral geneticist who works at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King’s College London. He has published more than 800 papers in scientific journals and is the author of the best-selling textbook in the field. In 2012, he was awarded a highly prestigious five-year Advanced Investigator award from the European Research Council, and he was given a lifetime achievement award from the American Psychological Association, among others. Plomin is the author of the recent book, “Blueprint: How DNA Makes Us Who We Are.”
Nancy Segal
Professor of Psychology, California State University, Fullerton & Director, Twin Studies Center
Nancy Segal is a professor of psychology at California State University, Fullerton and the director of the Twin Studies Center, which she founded in 1991. Segal has authored approximately 200 scientific articles and book chapters on the study of genetics and twins. She has also published many books on the subject of twin research, including, “Born Together-Reared Apart: The Landmark Minnesota Twin Study,” “Twin Mythconceptions: False Beliefs, Fables, and Facts About Twins,” and her most recent, “Accidental Brothers: The Story of Twins Exchanged at Birth and the Power of Nature and Nurture.”
Paige Harden
Psychology Professor, University of Texas
Paige Harden is a tenured psychology professor at the University of Texas, where she leads the Developmental Behavior Genetics lab and co-directs the Texas Twin Project, a study of the interplay between genes, hormones, risky behavior, and cognitive functioning in child and adolescent twins. She has published over 100 scientific articles on genetic influences on complex human behavior, and in 2017, she was honored by the American Psychological Association for her scientific contributions to the study of genetics and human individual differences.
Ann Pleshette Murphy
Author & Parenting Expert
Ann Pleshette Murphy is a therapist, parenting counselor, and passionate advocate for young children and their families. She is the author of “The 7 Stages of Motherhood: Loving Your Life Without Losing Your Mind” and “The Secret of Play; How to Raise Smart, Healthy, Caring Kids from Birth to Age 12.” Previously, she was the parenting correspondent for ABC’s “Good Morning America.” A renowned magazine journalist and editor, Pleshette Murphy was editor-in-chief of Parents magazine from 1988 to 1998 and a contributing editor from 1998 to 2002.
Host and Moderator:
John Donvan
To listen to the audio of “Parenting Is Overrated: Nature versus Nurture” on Intelligence Squared online, please click HERE.