meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
Speaking of Psychology

What studying twins can teach us about ourselves, with Nancy Segal, PhD

Speaking of Psychology

Kim Mills

Health & Fitness, Life Sciences, Science, Mental Health

4.3781 Ratings

🗓️ 24 February 2021

⏱️ 27 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

From movie plots to ad campaigns to viral videos, if they feature twins, they grab our attention every time. But it’s not only the general public who are fascinated with twins. Over many decades, twins have garnered attention from psychologists and other researchers because of what they can tell us about how our genes and environment interact to make us who we are. Nancy Segal, PhD, a professor of psychology and director of the Twin Studies Center at California State University, Fullerton, talks about the state of twin research today and what we've learned about twins, and from them, over the decades. Are you enjoying Speaking of Psychology? We’d love to know what you think of the podcast, what you would change about it, and what you’d like to hear more of. Please take our listener survey at www.apa.org/podcastsurvey. Links Nancy Segal, PhD Twin Studies Center at California State University, Fullerton Music Funny music (orchestra) by Darkash28 via Freesound.org     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Twas the night before Christmas when all through our home, friends were waiting for drinks at the party we'd thrown.

0:07.2

With an espresso martini mixer from Fever Tree, all you need to add is the vodka, you see.

0:14.2

Five espresso martinis ready in a second. A Christmas miracle, everybody reckoned.

0:23.9

So this holiday season mix with the best,

0:29.7

with fever tree cocktails for you and your guests. Please enjoy responsibly.

0:40.3

Twins have long captured the public imagination. Movie plots, ad campaigns, viral videos of twin toddlers babbling at each other in what seems like a secret language. Something about twins grabs our attention every time.

0:45.3

But it's not only the general public that's fascinated with twins. Twins have also garnered their share of attention from psychologists

0:52.3

and other researchers because of what they can tell us about how our genes and environment interact to make us who we are.

0:59.0

Where is twin research today? As our understanding of human genetics has advanced in recent years, do twin studies remain vital?

1:07.0

What about twins who are raised apart and meet later in life? What can we learn from those

1:12.2

natural experiments? And why are so many people, scientists and lay people alike, so fascinated

1:17.9

with twins? Welcome to Speaking of Psychology, the flagship podcast of the American

1:23.0

Psychological Association that examines the links between psychological science and everyday life.

1:28.3

I'm Kim Mills.

1:30.3

If you enjoy speaking of psychology, the conversation doesn't have to stop when the

1:36.3

podcast is over. Get unlimited access to hundreds of videos about the latest in psychology

1:41.3

for just one low price by registering for access to APA's

1:45.1

2020 virtual convention. Start with some of our selected videos featuring psychology's biggest

1:50.9

names discussing such issues as COVID-19, racism, and stigma, or let your curiosity take over

1:58.0

and use our on-demand library to explore any topic.

2:01.6

Go to convention.apa.org slash podcast.

2:05.6

That's convention.a.a.org slash podcast.

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Kim Mills, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Kim Mills and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.