Marissa and Jessica, sisters born two years apart, grew up in an impoverished, violent neighborhood. As adults, Marissa is chronically jobless and is addicted to drugs while Jessica is a professor of economics at a community college. What might explain their different life outcomes?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Differential sensitivity suggests that individuals may respond differently to the same environmental influences. Therefore, even though Marissa and Jessica grew up in the same environment, they may have had different sensitivities to the poverty and violence they experienced, leading to different life outcomes. This is supported by their current differences in job status and drug addiction.

Marissa and Jessica, Sisters Born Two Years Apart, Grew Up