Assertion (A) : Some children have characteristics that resemble their parents while others are markedly different from their parents.
Reason (R) : Working out how much of any characteristic is due to nature or genes and how much is due to nurture or environment is a complex issue.
Choose the correct option.
The statement asserts that children exhibit characteristics similar to their parents, but also differences. This is biologically accurate. Offspring inherit genetic material from parents, leading to resemblance. However, genetic recombination, mutations, and varying gene expression contribute to differences. Thus, Assertion (A) is true.
The statement explains that determining the exact contribution of genetics ('nature') versus environment ('nurture') to any characteristic is complex. This is a fundamental concept in genetics and developmental psychology, widely acknowledged in scientific research. The interplay between genes and environment is intricate and often difficult to isolate. Thus, Reason (R) is true.
Reason (R) effectively explains Assertion (A). The complexity mentioned in (R) – the difficulty in separating nature and nurture – directly accounts for why children both resemble their parents (due to shared genetics) and differ from them (due to environmental influences, unique genetic combinations, and the complex interaction R describes). The variation and similarity are both outcomes of this complex nature-nurture interaction.
Since both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true, and Reason (R) provides a correct explanation for Assertion (A), the appropriate option is that both are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
Which factor mainly refers to genetic traits passed from parents to children?