The Behaviour Genetics approach, as discussed by Sandra Scarr, argues that genetics are the major influence in determining individual differences, (Scarr, 1996). It is these differences that allow “children [to] construct their own environments from available resources,” (Scarr, 1996, p. 205). In the Structural Behavioural model, Fran Horowitz also places importance on individual differences. In this case, however, individual differences are a product

Horowitz, F.D. (1990). Developmental models of individual differences. In J. Colombo & J. Fagen (Eds.), Individual differences in infancy: Reliability, stability, prediction, 3-18. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

Scarr, S. (1996). How people make their own environments: Implications for parents and policy makers. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 2(2), 204-228.

It is for this reason, primarily, that I found Horowitz’s perspective most convincing. Her approach doesn’t disregard results of previous environmental studies, but rather these results are properly integrated into the model. Horowitz (1990) also accounts for modifications, or “constitutional reorganizations where the weight and nature of the variables in the equation . . . change,” (p. 14), and alter the developmental outcome. This variation accounts for changes in many traits that often result from tra

Some topics in this essay:
Scarr Horowitz’s, Fran Horowitz, Conversely Horowitz, Sandra Scarr, Structural Behavioural, Erlbaum Scarr, Psychology Differing, Eds Individual, individual differences, Horowitz FD, scarr 1996, , horowitz 1990, environmental hypotheses, structural behavioural, found horowitz’s, own environments, , behaviour genetics, horowitz’s approach,