Week 2

While reading the article " What's the difference between boys and girls?" I instantly thought of my teenage son. Though I didn't allow him to play with toy guns until he was four of five, he automatically knew what to do with them and always followed the rules. Now that he is older he is the same boy with a collection of BB guns and a thirst for hunting and fishing competitively. my son being the competitive child he is, I learned could be from higher levels of testosterone. Which also explains the way he is when it comes to playing sports, in your face ruthless and out for a win at any cost. My daughter on the other hand, does enjoy playing with BB guns but loves her stuffed huskies. My daughter being a tom-boy wears nothing but basketball shorts and hoodies and loves to get dirty. I wonder if maybe she has higher levels of testosterone caused by the adrenal gland?  "Both the Berkeley study and a more recent federal daycare study find a different pattern in girls; they're emotionally sturdier". I find that to be true. I find my daughter to be less sensitive than my son though he tries to not show it. I learned that they're healthy development seems most harmed by being restricted and its confinement that brings down IQ in girls.

Something that piqued my curiosity while reading this article, is what about the testosterone levels in homosexuals?  If a gay/ Trans-gender men prefer to dress as a woman, does that mean they have lower testosterone than the average male or the "pink gene" as quoted by a British journalist.  Same goes for lesbians, do they have more testosterone than the average woman or do the majority suffer from congenital adrenal hyperplasia? If I had unlimited funds to do more research, I would like to research more on this particular topic.

Week 2

        In this chapter I especially enjoyed reading about paths from genes to behaviors. I feel that I can relate to this since I have watched my children's development over the last fourteen years. I have always tried my hardest to treat and discipline my children the same to be fair. After reading this chapter I am more confident in the fact that I rarely succeed in the fairness department. Raising two totally different children, I find it very hard to react the same way to any given situation. I do agree with this chapter that each child is an individual and needs to be treated differently (within  reason) for personal development. For example: my son is a highly motivated critical thinker and excels in math just like his dad. I expect more out of him becase over the years he has proven his skills to me. My daughter on the other hand is just like me, math doesn't come as easy. So I give her a bit more leniency and time to learn without consequence.
           This chapter also states that children who are outgoing and smart will receive more positive attention from teachers. But the children who are more withdrawn may not get the same attention and could be easily overlooked. This doesn't make sense to me. Shouldn't it be the other way around? With this knowledge and all the steps taken to better the school system, withdrawn children should be encouraged to participate not overlooked. I would like to learn more about this topic. I think it could help prepare me for the remainder of my kids school years.
          
         
        

Week 1

       While reading the article identity dance, one page stood out to me the most. In bold letters it reads "Genetics couldn't explain why some people bounce back from terrible trauma that shatters others, or why some people are ruthlessly ambitious and others laid back." I was drawn to theses words because I have been wondering the same thing for quite some time. Someone very close to me suffered a traumatic childhood filled with physical and mental abuse. I find it interesting that siblings that grew up in the same family sharing equally traumatic  experiences can have such different outcomes. It seems they all are still affected by thier past but a few more severely than others.  Sharing the same genes one would think all involved would be genetically and mentally equipped to handle situations similarly, but unfortunately that is not the case.
        Everyone is set up a specific way genetically to react and deal with life's ups and downs? This is one thing I would like to learn more about while taking this course. According to this article people that have a the short transporter gene are more likely to become depressed after experiencing a series of  stressful events. Statistics have proven fourty-three percent of people who carried the short gene who experienced four or more tumultuous events became clinically depressed. Those with the short gene that did not have stressful events became depressed at the average rate of the general population.   While those with the long gene that were subject to four or more traumatic events have a seventeen percent chance of depression.  One theory says that genes have "switches" that can be turned on and of like a light switch. If that is the case, then wouldn't the number of people with depression be dwindling?