Stranger in the Nest: Do Parents Really Shape Their Child's Personality, Intelligence, or Character?

By David B. Cohen

Book Overview

A gripping account that provides solid answers to the age-old question of nature vs. nurture Providing scientifically grounded support for the thesis advanced in Judith Rich Harris controversial book The Nurture Assumption , psychologist David Cohen explains why childrens aptitudes and interests depend more on genes than parenting. Drawing on two decades of research in behavioral genetics to support this provocative perspective, Dr. Cohen puts a human face on the age-old nature vs. nurture debate. Children are not born as blank slates, he argues, and he goes on to reveal new research indicating that DNA, rather than parents, determines to a significant extent how children think, feel, and behave. This riveting book uses vivid analogies to illuminate complex genetics research, and explains why parental influence may have far less impact than is normally thought. A surprising account of how our personality traits and behaviors are determined more by nature than nurture

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0471319228
• ISBN13: 9780471319221
• Release Date: February 1999
• Publisher: Wiley
• Length: 312 Pages
• Weight: 1.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.4" x 1.1" x 6.3"

Customer Reviews

Stranger in the Nest Review

As a teacher, I was struck by Cohen's ability to communicate highly technical research findings in a clear, vivid, and highly readable manner to an educated lay readership (the intended audience). As a scientist, I was deeply impressed by the rigor and intellectual honesty with which you approached the central issues at have. And as a parent, I was grateful for the opportunity to understand more fully the limits of my own influence over the personalities and characters of my two children.The central theme of the manuscript obviously runs counter the most of the conventional wisdom about child rearing and its effects. But when one considers the heavy and unfair burden of responsibility that many parents have felt when their children have suffered from such maladies as autism, drug addiction, and sociopathy, it is high time that this conventional wisdom-with its almost complete absence of scientific foundation-must be challenged by responsible scientists.This is a profoundly compassionate book. . . . I will recommend it enthusiastically to friends and colleagues who themselves have experienced similar family problems. In writing this book, which I know has been a labor of love, Cohen has performed a great service, both intellectually and morally.

You'll find yourself quoting him

"Stranger in the Nest" really has impact. I've been quoting it every day. Cohen makes a great case: we do not-and cannot control as much as we thought-and it's okay. Hell of a book! I'm still thinking about it. This book will really throw some heads.

A Great Book!

I couldn't put this book down. Dr. Cohen gives a lot of fascinating evidence in the nature vs. nurture debate. Written in highly entertaining and accessible prose!

A must have book for a thinking person's shelf.

David Cohen presents an outstanding look at what makes us who we are. This book has a strong academic foundation, presented in an intelligent and humorous style making it a pleasure to read. Cohen's last book, "Out of the Blue" has become a classic reference for the clinician interested in depression. Stranger in the nest seems destined to become an indispensable volume in the ongoing debate about nature versus nurture and the role of parents in a child's development. Many diverse issues are discussed and many difficult questions are articulated. This is a very satisfying contribution to a field where important questions abound and research continues.

One of the Best on the Subject!

Terrific 360 narrative on nature/nurture issues augmented by Dr. Cohen's personal insights. Great questions raised and answered. For instance, "Is a balanced view of nature/nurture really necessary?" Deliciously funny, too, making it a very good read.