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1. Which is more influential, genetics or environment?
Like just about every either/or question in psychology, the answer is “both are important, and it depends on the specific trait in question.” This might sound like I’ve skirted the question, but it’s really true. For some types of trails like temperament (or core personality) and intelligence, genetic factors are accountable for greater than 50% of all observed differences. For many others, like socioeconomic status or job selection, environment plays a mire significant role.
But to be fair, the vast majority of traits involve an interaction between genes and environment. For example, even though intelligence has a large genetic component, the EXPRESSION of those genetic tendencies is greatly influenced by environment. This especially true of poor environment. For example, academic performance involves intelligence, but a genetic predisposition for high intelligence still demands a suitably enrichment environment for the full genetic potential to be reached.
Another way to view this question is by comparing the more “global” traits with SPECIFIC behaviors. That is, you are attending college in large part because of genetic tendencies like those influencing intelligence. But the SPECIFIC college you selected was based primarily on environmental stimuli--where you live, what colleges offered you scholarships, etc.
2. If a child displays amazing cognitive abilities as a young age, is it a good indicator of exceptional abilities or achievements later in life?
A similar but easier-to- answer question is this: “do adults who have exceptional abilities in some area display those same abilities as a child? The answer to this second question is, “in most cases, yes.” Most adults with exceptional abilities were similarly gifted as children. Recent research even indicates that genius-level performance in some areas is recognizable by the age of 2! Of course, some gifted adults are “late bloomers,” but not as many as might be expected.
But to get back to the original question, a significant portion of exceptional children do NOT achieve the same level as adults. (Most remain above average, though.) Like genetic influences, early exceptional abilities indicate a PREDISPOSITION for high achievement, but do not guarantee it, for a variety of reasons.
3. When is it too late to learn a second language?
Never. One commonly accepted myth is that children learn language much easier and more quickly than adults. Actually, the converse is true: adults learn second languages more quickly, in terms of sheer time spent learning. Think about it: most universities offer some type of “intense” foreign language course, and most students can become passably fluent after studying only 10-12 weeks or so. Why does it appear that children learn so much more rapidly? For a couple of reasons, probably. First of all, most adults vastly underestimate the amount of time children spend learning their first language. First language acquisition requires no formal study, of course, but children require several years to become competent, and quite a few more to become fluent. Secondly, most of us have no explicit memories of learning our first language, so we don’t remember how difficult it may have been.
One aspect of language DOES benefit from early exposure, though: the ability to speak both languages with little or no accent. Those who learn a second language as an adult will almost always have some sort of residual accent, even if this second language become the speaker’s primary language. Children, especially those exposed to second language before the ages of about 5-7 will very likely speak without a discernible accent in either one.
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