Nature or Nurture?
August 12th, 2006
Weird sleeping positions seem to run in the family. For example, here we have the Cherub, parented by me and Porpoise:
And here we have Tirian the Sheltie puppy, parented by my, um, parents (Which would make Tirian the Cherub’s uncle? So confusing!):
Obviously genetically unrelated, living 1,000 miles apart, and yet they sleep in almost exactly the same bizarre position. Do you think they may have acquired this trait from their humans?
Entry Filed under: Uncategorized
6 Comments Add your own
1. Dormouse | August 12th, 2006 at 10:51 pm
*snerk*
They’re so adorable. Of course, not as darling as *my* little…what shall I call her? Fallen Angel?
But then, she puts the Cherub’s sleeping positions to shame.
2. theotter | August 13th, 2006 at 7:51 am
Yes, well, the Cherub does have stranger positions, ones that involve contortions that Tirian, with his shorter doggie back, can’t get into. Still, I’m impressed with his ability to sleep on his back–I’ve never seen a dog do that before.
3. Possum | August 14th, 2006 at 9:57 am
I’ve read somewhere that it’s been scientifically proven that pets sleep just like their owners, but I don’t believe it one bit. So, in the interest of science, I suggest you post some photos of you and your, um, parents sleeping, so we can compare the pets/children to the owners/parents and settle this unsettling nature/nurture question once and for all.
4. Pop Otter | August 14th, 2006 at 6:40 pm
I cannot say that I see the similarity to my own sleeping position, and certainly not to Mama Chipmunk’s. However, my college and graduate school roommates each applied the word “fetal” to my sleeping position, and there were some claims to have charged admission to those who wished to observe it.
That said, Otter’s body-type comes from a direct line of people for whom the adjective “limber” applies. It does result in the ability to assume odd positions that draw comments such as, “How in the world do you do that?”
5. theotter | August 14th, 2006 at 6:54 pm
Pop Otter, I knew about the roommates charging admission to watch you sleep, but I didn’t know that your position was fetal! Oh, dear. It must be nature for the humans in our family, since I didn’t know that, and since I also assume the fetal position for sleep (the colder I am, the tighter a ball I form).
6. Possum | August 15th, 2006 at 8:26 pm
I love science!!!
Leave a Comment
Some HTML allowed:
<a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>
Trackback this post | Subscribe to the comments via RSS Feed