Treating twins as a couple in parental communication

This event is the largest forum dealing with twin research and is therefore of immense importance among twin researchers, as it allows them to discuss current issues with as many fellow researchers as possible, as there are only more limited, often non-twin-specific forums available. This year’s event was attended by almost 250 participants from thirty-five countries. 

The majority of the presentations were on genetic and biological topics, but there was also a strong focus on national twin registries, and there was a section on psychology and social science, in which Rita Hegedűs and her research colleague Zsófia Drjenovszky presented. In view of the epidemic situation, the conference was a hybrid one.  

The title of Hegedűs’ presentation was “Treating twins as a couple in parental communication“, in which the researchers presented the results of their latest survey of twin parents. Hegedűs and Drjenovszky have also recently published an article on the topic. 

In this session there was a diverse group of speakers whose presentations are set within a variety of theoretical frameworks. The different topics to be addressed cover a range of behaviors, issues and controversies within the field of psychology, e.g., behavioral genetics, evolutionary psychology, social psychology and other, e.g., sociological approaches. Two legends of the field, Nancy L. Segal and Joan A. Friedman (the first a psychologist, the second a psychiatrist), also presented in this session. 

The conference also featured several Hungarian speakers, including the two Hungarian organizers, the Tárnoki brothers, both doctors, and András Pári, who has co-authored several of our works and is also a sociologist.