adoption studies

Question 1

strength: environment

Answer 1

Adopted children are exposed to a different environment to their biological family, therefore it is easier to separate genetic and environmental factors.

Question 2

strength: seperate factors

Answer 2

Adoption studies overcome the problem faced by twin studies, where biologically twins are brought up in the same household, which makes it impossible to separate out the influence of genes from the environment

Question 3

weakness: similar environment

Answer 3

Adopted children are often place similar environments to their birth family, (same class & ethnicity). Similar environments may produce similar behaviour.

Question 4

weakness: age

Answer 4

Age of adoption may mean the adopted children have already been influenced by either their natural parents or their foster environment.