THE NATURE OF NATURE VS.

NURTUREKevin P. Spotts

George L. Gradwell, Jr

Zachary R. Kaplan

BACKGROUND OF NATURE VS. NURTURE

Conceptual OriginsNature- behavioral and personality traits

originate from heredity Traits come from biological parents

Nurture- behavioral and personality traits come from the environment in which individual is raised in Traits come from setting

vs.

BACKGROUND OF NATURE VS. NURTURE Historical Origins

Exact origin of titled concept is unknownDiscussed by Francis Galton (English

Victorian Polymath), Shakespeare, Charles Darwin, and John Locke (English Philosopher) in various settings

DESCRIPTION OF STUDY What factors influence one’s opinions on

“Nature vs. Nurture?”Decade Born?Political Affiliation?Number of Siblings?

Is there a noticeable difference in the opinions of males and females?

PROCEDURE: DATA COLLECTION Written survey taken by subjects in

public place (Valley Square)Systematic sampling- every other person

seen was chosen to take survey Parents with young children disregarded for

politenessSurveys taken on Wednesday, June 1st,

between 3pm and 5pm Additional surveys completed by adult

members of Zack and George’s scout troopsWe needed more old people

THE SURVEY

Gender (circle one): Male Female

Decade Born (circle one): 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s

Political Affiliation (circle One): Republican Democrat Independent Other None

  Number of siblings (circle one): 0 1 2

3 4 5 6+ In your opinion, do someone’s behavioral and personality traits

originate more from heredity (NATURE) or the environment in which he/she was raised (NURTURE)? Please circle the ratio of the relationship between “nature” and “nurture” that is closest to your opinions. 100% Nature 75% Nature, 25% Nurture 50% Nature, 50% Nurture 25% Nature, 75% Nurture 100% Nurture

PROCEDURE: ANALYSISAll data categorized and entered into fathom

Some groups combined so all conditions could be metResponse to Nature vs. Nurture question, decade

born, political affiliationX² Test of Independence performed on each

variable Conditions checked and met Mechanics performed Conclusions made

Two out of four variables (gender, decade born, political affiliation, number of siblings) DO affect one’s opinions on Nature vs. Nurture!

CLASS ACTIVITY Predict which two variables have a

relationship with one’s opinion on nature vs. nurtureGender?Decade Born?Political Affiliation?Number of Siblings?

What is the relationship?

EXPLORATORY DATA ANALYSIS

EXPLORATORY DATA- GENDER VS. “NATURE VS. NURTURE”Collection 1

RowSummary

Column Summary

Gender

M

Gender

F

A

B

C

Less_Choice

10 16

22 21

16 22

48 59

26

43

38

107

S1 = count

Choice A: Majority/All NatureChoice B: 50/50 Nature/NurtureChoice C: Majority/ All Nurture

M: Male F: Female

EXPLORATORY DATA- GENDER VS. “NATURE VS. NURTURE”- Males:

- Choice A: 27.1%

- Choice B: 35.6%

- Choice C: 37.3%

- Females:- Choice A:

20.8%- Choice B:

45.8%- Choice C:

33.3%

AB

C

Gender

5 10 15 20 25F

0 5 10 15 20 25M

Frequency of Less_Choice

count

Collection 1

EXPLORATORY DATA: DECADE BORN VS. “NATURE VS. NURTURE”

Collection 1

RowSummary

Column Summary

Less_Decades

B

Less_Decades

A

A

B

C

Less_Choice

20 6

14 29

15 23

49 58

26

43

38

107

S1 = count

Choice A: Majority/All NatureChoice B: 50/50 Nature/NurtureChoice C: Majority/ All NurtureDecade A: 1930s-1960sDecade B: 1970s-1990s

EXPLORATORY DATA: DECADE BORN VS. “NATURE VS. NURTURE”

AB

C

Less_Decades

5 10 15 20 25 30A

0 5 10 15 20 25 30B

Frequency of Less_Choice

count

Collection 1 Bar Chart

-1930s-1960s:- Choice A: 40.8%- Choice B: 28.6%- Choice C: 30.6%

-1970s-1990s:- Choice A: 10.3%- Choice B: 50%- Choice C: 39.7%

EXPLORATORY DATA: POLITICAL AFFILIATION VS. “NATURE VS. NURTURE”

Collection 1

RowSummary

Column Summary

Less_PoliticalLess_Political

Other R

Less_Political

D

A

B

C

Less_Choice

10 10 6

15 11 17

13 9 16

38 30 39

26

43

38

107

S1 = countChoice A: Majority/All NatureChoice B: 50/50 Nature/NurtureChoice C: Majority/ All Nurture

D: DemocratO: OtherR: Republican

EXPLORATORY DATA: POLITICAL AFFILIATION VS. “NATURE VS. NURTURE”

- Democrats:- Choice A: 26.3%- Choice B: 39.5%- Choice C: 34.2%

- Republicans:- Choice A: 10.3%- Choice B: 50%- Choice C: 39.7%

- Other- Choice A: 33.3%- Choice B: 36.7%- Choice C: 30%

AB

C

Less_Political

4 8 12 16D

0 4 8 12 16Other

0 4 8 12 16R

Frequency of Less_Choice

count

Collection 1 Bar Chart

EXPLORATORY DATA: SIBLINGS VS. “NATURE VS. NURTURE”

Collection 1

RowSummary

Column Summary

Less_Siblings

B

Less_Siblings

A

A

B

C

Less_Choice

7 19

34 9

24 14

65 42

26

43

38

107

S1 = count

Choice A: Majority/All NatureChoice B: 50/50 Nature/NurtureChoice C: Majority/ All Nurture

Sibling Choice A: 0-2 SiblingsSibling Choice B: 3+ Siblings

EXPLORATORY DATA: SIBLINGS VS. “NATURE VS. NURTURE”

AB

C

Less_Siblings

5 10 15 20 25 30 35A

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35B

Frequency of Less_Choice

count

Collection 1 Bar Chart

-0 to 2 Siblings:-Choice A: 10.8%Choice B: 52.3%Choice C: 36.9%

-3+ Siblings -Choice A: 45.2%-Choice B: 21.4%-Choice C: 33.3%

SAMPLE POPULATION

10

20

30

40

50

60

Gender

F M

count

Collection 1 Bar Chart

10

20

30

40

50

60

Less_Decades

A B

count

Collection 1 Bar Chart

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Less_Siblings

A B

count

Collection 1 Bar Chart

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Less_Political

D Other R

count

Collection 1 Bar Chart

44.9% 55.1%

35.5% 28

%

36.5%60.7% 39.3%

45.8%54.2%

CONCLUSIONS ABOUT POPULATION Political affiliation and gender do not effect

an individual’s opinions on Nature vs. Nurture in our community

Decade born and number of siblings DO effect an individual’s opinion on Nature vs. Nurture Individuals born from 1930s-1960s more likely

to believe that NATURE is a larger factor Individuals born from 1970s-1990s more likely

to believe that Nature and Nurture play equal roles or that NURTURE is a larger factor

Individuals with 3+ siblings are more likely to believe that NATURE is a larger factor

INFERENTIAL ANALYSIS

X²TEST OF INDEPENDENCE: GENDER AND “NATURE VS. NURTURE”

Conditions 1) Categorical Data--- Gender is categorical 2) SRS--- Yes, systematic sampling of random population 3) All expected counts ≥5--- Yes they are

Ho: No association exists between Gender and NvN Ha: Association exists between Gender and NvN

X²TEST OF INDEPENDENCE: GENDER AND “NATURE VS. NURTURE”

237.1...3.19

)3.1922(

3.14

)3.1416(

7.11

)7.1110( 2222

DF= 2 P(X²>1.237)= .54

-We fail to reject Ho because P-value .54 > α= .05.-We have sufficient evidence that there is no association between gender and opinion on Nature vs. Nurture

X²TEST OF INDEPENDENCE: DECADE BORN AND “NATURE VS. NURTURE” Conditions

1) Categorical Data--- Decade Born is categorical 2) SRS--- Yes, systematic sampling of random population 3) All expected counts ≥5--- Yes they are

Ho: No association exists between decade born and NvN

Ha: Association exists between decade born and NvN

X²TEST OF INDEPENDENCE: DECADE BORN AND “NATURE VS. NURTURE”

8.13...7.19

)7.1914(

1.14

)1.146(

9.11

)9.1120( 2222

DF=2 P(X²>13.8)= .001

-We reject Ho because P-value .001< α=.005- We have sufficient evidence that an association exists between decade born and opinion on Nature vs. Nurture

X²TEST OF INDEPENDENCE: POLITICAL AFFILIATION AND “NATURE VS. NURTURE”

Conditions 1) Categorical Data-Political Affiliation is categorical 2) SRS--- Yes, systematic sampling of random population 3) All expected counts ≥5--- Yes they are

Ho: No association exists between political affiliation and NvN

Ha: Association exists between political affiliation and NvN

X²TEST OF INDEPENDENCE: POLITICAL AFFILIATION AND “NATURE VS. NURTURE”

165.3...5.9

)5.96(

3.7

)3.710(

2.9

)2.910( 2222

DF=4 P(X²>3.165) = .53

- We fail to reject Ho because P-value .53> α= .005-We have sufficient evidence that there is no association between political affiliation and opinion on Nature vs. Nurture

X²TEST OF INDEPENDENCE: NUMBER OF SIBLINGS AND “NATURE VS. NURTURE”

Conditions1) Categorical Number of siblings (in this case) is categorical2) SRS--- Yes, systematic sampling of random population3) All expected counts ≥5--- Yes they are

Ho: No association exists between number of siblings and NvNHa: Association exists between number of siblings and NvN

X²TEST OF INDEPENDENCE: NUMBER OF SIBLINGS AND “NATURE VS. NURTURE”

62.18...1.26

)1.2634(

2.10

)2.1019(

8.15

)8.157( 2222

DF= 2 P(X²>18.62)= .0001

-We reject Ho because P-value .0001 < α= .005-We have sufficient evidence that an association exists between number of siblings and opinion on Nature vs. Nurture

APPLICATION TO POPULATION From the findings of the X² Tests of

Independence, we can conclude that in our population: No association exists between one’s opinion

on Nature vs. Nurture and gender No association exists between one’s opinion

on Nature vs. Nurture and political affiliation An association exists between one’s opinion

on Nature vs. Nurture and the decade in which one was born

An association exists between one’s opinion on Nature vs. Nurture and the number of siblings one has

BIAS/ERROR One visit to Valley Square not fully

representative of population Multiple visits in other public places could be

yield more accurate results Parents with young children disregarded

Perhaps parents with young children have particular opinions on Nature vs. Nurture

Personal error Only one person asked for volunteers Intimidation factor- 3 observers approaching

one subject Bias in wording or survey Response bias in survey

PERSONAL OPINIONS Surprised with association between siblings

and opinions on Nature vs. Nurture We thought that the association would be the

reverse of what it turned out to be Not surprised with association between

decade born and opinions on Nature vs. Nurture Opinions are more progressive as time

progresses- who you are is not solely determined by your genes

Not surprised with no associations between political affiliation/ gender and Nature vs. Nurture