HSS: The Minnesota Study of Twins Reared Apart: Findings, Implications and Controversies

The origins, methods, findings, implications and controversies of the Minnesota Study of Twins Reared Apart will be examined. This twenty-year study took place at the University of Minnesota, in Minneapolis, between 1979 and 1999. The information to be presented will be drawn largely from my nine years of association with this project, as well as interviews with the core investigators. These efforts culminated in a recent book, Born Together Reared Apart: The Landmark Minnesota Twin Study (2012, Harvard University Press). There will also be discussion of the academic context that gave rise to the study and the climate in which it was conducted. Changes in thinking about genetic influences on behavior and current trends in twin research will be presented.