even before they're born identical twins Intrigue us scientists still don't understand why a single fertilized egg splits in the womb creating two genetically identical people but despite how little we know about them twins have a lot to reveal about us twin studies Give us new ways of understanding human behavioral phenomena the biological and environmental components of disease of intelligence of personality the list is Limitless for more than 30 years Dr Nancy seagull has been studying reunited twins Dr seagull yes hi Linda hi Linda so nice to meet you same here it's a that's personal Nancy
is a twin herself today she's meeting Linda and Dorene twins reunited after 35 years apart the reason why we want to study twins raised apart is you help us solve questions such as is the behavior more influenced by nature is it influenced more by nurture you share all your genes in common and yet they're raised in totally different environments if we see similarities between you then we know that these kinds of traits are strongly influenced by the genes Nancy recruits me as her research assistant and through a series of questions we examine how Daren and
Linda are different and similar do you have any phobias uh yeah I'm a fear of I have a fear of heights scar to death of heights what is your favorite color darker green darker Blues how often do you drink alcohol uh very very little never do you have a favorite smell florals smells perfumes the questions might seem Elementary but the answers have fascinated scientists for decades I have you at 62 and a/4 in which is exactly what I got for your sister despite being raised apart separated twins are often closely aligned suggesting jeans play a
major role in who we are try it the other way and tell tell me how it feels and Linda and darene are a perfect case study so you told denil with the left hand living with her biological mother in a supportive household Linda was encouraged to get an education while darene was raised by her abductor and an alcoholic stepfather by 17 she was pregnant she never finished high school yet despite their different upbringings and not knowing knowing each other for most of their lives Linda and daren's bond was instant and intense when you met Linda
for the first time did she seem familiar it was almost like I knew what she was thinking more familiar than a best friend when I look at her or when I speak to her I hear myself even though we're separate people the more we spoke the more it was like I knew her life like she had never been gone I think on average there is no closer Bond than identical twins why is that it's the perception of similarities that triggers an attraction and a liking between people and the identical twins feel this immediately all right
you pick a color because I want to see what it looks like on me this is the potential for really sharing everything with somebody of thinking so much alike this intimacy and acceptance It's irresistible oh I figure I like that it's a fascinating theory about human behavior we like what is like us and no two people are more alike than identical twins I really like Oh I like that one but growing up apart has given Linda and Dorene a double perspective on their relationship both in separable and individual we may be genetically the same but
I have my own likes and dislikes I know she does and we're happy that way what do you think would have happened if you hadn't been separated you kind of have to just let that go you have to because if you let it'll just eat it'll eat you up so that's why okay all I don't need to look back and think of all the negative things that happened thanks Mom now no regrets
