Twins And what They Tell us about who we are How much are
our character, intelligence, and lifestyle a result of our
genes? In this compelling hook, award-winning journalist
Lawrence Wright reveals how twins are helping to unravel
these and other mysteries of human identity. Recent studies
of twins have shaken the field of psychology to its
foundation, revolutionizing our understanding of our own
personalities. Because identical twins separated at birth
share all the same genes, yet live separate lives, they
offer a unique opportunity to test theories about the roles
played by nature and nurture in shaping who we are. With its
genesis in the author’s acclaimed New Yorker magazine
article, Twins directly challenges many long-held beliefs.
For instance, a series of groundbreaking studies of twins
has shown that our genes play a much stronger role in
shaping our identities than previously thought. Today,
scientists can actually estimate what proportion of our
intelligence, our personality, and our behavior is
determined by inherited tendencies. Even our political
orientation and our religious commitment, it turns out, are
largely governed by our genes, Twins is filled with
astounding stories of identical twins who have lived
entirely separate lives but have an incredible amount in
common: their hobbies, their mannerisms, their taste in
music, food, and clothes, their experiences in marriage and
divorce, their careers, their sexuality, even the names
they’ve given their children. Perhaps even more surprising
is the discovery that our family life has startlingly little
effect on the type of person we become. The nongenetic
factors that have the greatest impact on shaping our lives
are not the way our parents raise us, or the kind of family
in which we grow up, but our experiences outside our
families. Introducing the latest findings in this heated
area of research, Lawrence Wright presents a lively
narrative that is at once engaging, provocative, and told
with remarkable clarity. The ongoing and often volatile
debate of nature vs. nurture has intrigued mankind for
centuries. With Twins, Lawrence Wright provides a bold
addition to current thinking, and a must-read for all those
fascinated by the deepest mysteries of human nature and
identity.
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