Bias Against Genetic Hypotheses in Adoption Studies

Horn, Joseph M.; Green, Mary; Carney, Ralph; Erickson, Marilyn T.

doi:10.1001/archpsyc.1975.01760290033003

Cited by 27 publications

(8 citation statements)

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“…Schertz (1947) and Meyer, Jones and Borgatta (1956), on the basis of clinical observations, judged that unmarried mothers who keep their babies are more immature than those who place their babies for adoption. This view was confirmed in the more objective studies of Horn, Green, Carney and Eriksen (1975); Horn and Turner (1976); Jones, Meyer and Borgatta (1962); and Vincent (1961). However, other objective investigations, viz.…”

mentioning

confidence: 74%

Psychological Factors Differentiating Unwed Mothers Keeping Their Babies from Those Placing Them for Adoption

Straker

Altman

1979

South African Journal of Psychology

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The study focused on possible psychological variables which could differentiate unwed mothers keeping their babies from those placing them for adoption when certain pragmatic, sociological variables were kept constant. These psychological variables were derived from a model constructed on the basis of psychoanalytic writing on the genesis of unwed pregnancy. Three hypotheses generated from this model were tested, viz. that unwed mothers who kept their babies would have poorer feminine identification; greater hostility toward their own mothers; and greater object needs than unwed mothers who released their babies for adoption. The Thematic Apperception Test was used to investigate these hypotheses. The experimental group consisted of 15 unwed mothers who had decided to keep their babies. These were compared with a control group of 12 unwed mothers who had decided to place their babies for adoption. The experimental and control groups were matched on a number of sociological variables. The results supported the above hypotheses. The applicability of these results were discussed. s. Atr. J. Psychol. 1979,9: 55 -60 Hierdie ondersoek is gerig op moontlik sielkundige veranderlikes waarvolgens onderskei kan word tussen ongehude moeders wat hulle babas behou en die wat hulle babas uitgee vir aanneming wanneer sekere pragmatiese, sosiologiese veranderlikes konstant gehou word. Hierdie sielkundige veranderlikes is afgelei ult 'n model wat gebou is op psigo-analitiese literatuur oor die genese van ongehude swangerskap. Drie hipoteses is ontwikkel en getoets, naamlik dat ongehude moeders wat hulle babas behou swakker vroulikheidsidentifikasie vertoon; groter vyandigheid teenoor hulle eie moeders openbaar; en meer objek-behoeftes het as ongehude moeders wat hulle babas vir aanneming uitgee. Die Tematiese Appersepsie-toets is gebruik om die hipoteses te toets. In die eksperimentele groep was daar 15 ongehude moeders wat besluit het om hulle babas te behou. Hierdie groep is vergelyk met 'n kontrolegroep van 12 ongehude moeders wat besluit het om hulle babas vir aanneming uit te gee. Die twee groepe is afgepaar op 'n aantal sosiologiese veranderlikes. Die resultate ondersteun die hipoteses. Die toepassingsmoontlikhede van die resultate word kortliks bespreek.

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confidence: 74%

Psychological Factors Differentiating Unwed Mothers Keeping Their Babies from Those Placing Them for Adoption

Straker

Altman

1979

South African Journal of Psychology

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“…A number of researchers have speculated on the possible contribution of biological factors (e.g., increased genetic and/or prenatal and reproductive vulnerabilities) in the adjustment problems of adoptees (Cadoret, 1990;Deutsch et al, 1982;Horn, Green, Carney, & Erickson, 1975;Morrison & Stewart, 1973;Rogeness et al, 1988;Silver, 1989). Others have focused on the intrapersonal dynamics (Blum, 1983;Brinich, 1980Brinich, , 1990Nickman, 1985;Schechter & Bertocci, 1990) and interpersonal dynamics (Brodzinsky, 1987;Kirk, 1964;Hoopes, 1982;Kaye, 1990) that confront adoptive family members.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prevalence of Adoptees Among Special Education Populations

Brodzinsky

Steiger

1991

J Learn Disabil

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A statewide survey of public and private schools was conducted to determine the prevalence of adoptees among children classified for educational purposes as neurologically impaired (NI), perceptually impaired (PI), or emotionally disturbed (ED). Results indicated that adopted children were overrepresented in these special education populations, accounting for 6.7% of NI students, 5.4% of PI students, and 7.2% of ED students. Implications of the findings for educational and clinical intervention are discussed.

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“…This comparison raises a methodological problem with adoption studies. The problem is that adoption agencies and personnel commonly match rearing parents to some degree with genetic parents on such traits as race, socioeconomic background, religion, as well as skin, hair, and eye color in making adoption assignments (see Horn et al, 1975;Wade, 1976: 918;Hutchings and Mednick, 1977: 138). If one of these traits or some other trait genetically linked to one of them is the subject of study, the adoptive matching process will artificially deflate the final estimate of genetic influence for the trait, should there be any.…”

Section: Adoptive Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…That is to say that the matching would make adoptees and their rearing parents appear more similar to one another than they would be if random assignment had been used. Therefore, most well-designed adoption studies can only be seen as providing minimal estimates of the degree to which genetics is involved in a trait for the population under study, rather than an exact estimate (Horn et al, 1975). Otherwise, methodological problems fairly unique to adoption studies center around making sure that the adoptions were early in the life of the adoptee; that a single set of parents unrelated to the genetic parents reared the adoptee throughout the adoptee's maturation; that parent-offspring trait comparisons are all made at the same developmental stages using a uniform operational definition; and especially, that investigators are as sure as possible that the true genetic parents, especially the father, has been identified (see Plomin et al, 1977).…”

Section: Adoptive Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetics and Criminal Behavior Evidence Through the End of the 1970s

Ellis

1982

Criminology

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Research reported u p through and including the 1970s directly bearing upon the relationship between genetics and criminality i s reviewed. Studies using f o u r classes of research designs are considered: general pedigree (or f a m i l y ) studies, twin studies, karyotype studies, and adoption studies. Only the latter three ofjeer solid evidence at least consistent with a partial genetic etiological hypothesis, and of these, only one type of karyotype study and the adoption studies appear to be o n the verge of definitely settling the matter. Among the f a i r l y definitive types of studies, most of the evidence is extremely supportive of the proposition that human variation in tendencies to commit criminal behavior is significantly affected by some genetic factors.This article reviews empirical evidence pertaining to whether or not genetic factors play a significant role in criminal behavior. The perspective from which I have approached this task and around which my concluding remarks will be framed is summarily diagrammed in Figure 1. From this perspective, neurochemical factors (including both the structure and functioning of the entire nervous system) are seen as the most direct, immediate controller of all behavior (see Hilgard and Bower, 1975: 549; Leshner, 1975: 229; Ellis, 1979: 372; Pearson et al., 1980: 717). Genetic and environmental factors are viewed as imposing their influence on behavior by way of their interactive impacts on the nervous system and its functioning. With respect to any given class of behavioral events, of course, it is possible that individual nervous systems within the human species are so similar to one another AUTHORS NOTE: A version of this article was presented at the 1980 Convention of the Academy of Criminal Justice S c h , March 12-14, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Appreciation is extended to SarnoffMednick and J i m Billham for their criticisms of earlier drafls.

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Bias Against Genetic Hypotheses in Adoption Studies

Cited by 27 publications

References 4 publications

Psychological Factors Differentiating Unwed Mothers Keeping Their Babies from Those Placing Them for Adoption

Psychological Factors Differentiating Unwed Mothers Keeping Their Babies from Those Placing Them for Adoption

Prevalence of Adoptees Among Special Education Populations

Genetics and Criminal Behavior Evidence Through the End of the 1970s

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