So, then, Julie of Kansas City, you've done the research to prove your claim, have you? Or are you possibly rejecting the Harris findings because they don't say what you want to believe? Would I guess you don't believe in evolution either?

Terry Collmann, London, England

Finklestein fails to understand that parental neglect in many forms has a massive effect on children. The effect of this is to increase the importance of peer groups on behaviour. There is no such thing as a bad parent but instead one can be a non parent leading to a lack of moral/social guidance.

steve, bath,

What rubbish! Parents have the most important impact of anyone upon their children, whether it be positive or negative! It is true that frequently peers may interfere with parental influence, but ultimately it is the parent's influence that "makes or breaks" a child.

Julie, Kansas City, US

I think another important point is that the TV and media have a massive effect on the way that children conduct themselves, and it would be naive to suggest otherwise. The influence of role models is often talked about, and usually overly so, many teens imitate the people they listen to and watch.

Matthew Jones, Birmingham,

Well said Christopher! If we are talking about social mobility, then we should ask why this has decreased with the demise of the Grammar School? Why do most children educated at these schools go on to higher education, often in the top ranked universities? Peer pressure I suspect.

Meryl, Reading, Berkshire

If it is all down to peers and not adults, then how can the upbringing of children be improved ? By constantly moving them from a school full of maladjusted children (ie most schools) to another school ? If so, then the cycle just continues - because the vast majority of schools now are disasters.

simon, malaga,

Why differentiate between "parents" and "peers"? Both are part of a child's social orbit and can mould their ambitions and value system. It's an artificial divide.

James Brazier, London, UK

As usual in the Anglo Saxon world, we have to have black or white solutions, not shades of grey.

IF parents provide a strong 5 years foundation, peer influence is less. IF they don't, children seek emotional ties elsewhere from peers.

Finally: who do you create babies with: parents? Peers?

Rhys Jaggar, Leeds, UK

Talk about stating the bleeding obvious. Of course peers matter more. That's why smart parents try so hard to ensure their children are eductated amongst a good set of peers. I.e. private and selective schools. Duh.

Redcliffe, London,

Interesting that Henry Kissinger's younger brother by two years has no trace of a German accent. Accent seems to be set at around 14 which probabaly correlates with the age when peers have the most influence.

Arnold Ward, Weybridge, Surrey, UK

Speaking as a parent with one biological and three adopted children (no genes here), a loving home, with lots of parental contact and involvement, strict boundaries, consistency and commitment will generally ensure that they choose the right peers with which to associate.

Linda Pelham, Truro, UK

Discipline, Obedience, Respect. If their parents don't practice these, then their children won't either.

Ken, Bedford, UK

so what you're saying is that if you want to be a good parent, you should choose your children's friends?

seems reasonable, but I think you should choose what tv they watch as well.

jem, london, uk

Surely parents knew this? Isn't this why parents with similar standards and behaviour allow their kids to play together, dropping immediately any kid who strays from their norm, irrespective of whether his parents have broken any adult rules?

Diane, Sutton,

I think Mr Finkelstein has never met a bad parent. My alcoholic mother worked intermittantly, often passed out drunk, and often told us we were useless. I emulated her bullying ways and negatively influenced many of my peer group, through violence and intimidation. Bad parenting does harm many lives

Darla, North London, UK

True, friend pay a huge part of your life BUT it's up to the parent to teach there kids the different between right and wrong, basic life values about respect, basically treating others how you wish to be treat!

Parenting isn't the sole cause but children are products of there enviroment!!!!

Andrew Towell, Hartlepool, England, UK

I have 4 kids (4yrs-18yrs) all raised together in the same way, all 4 kids totally different.. Nature V nuture is the wrong question. Nature & nuture creates future adults. The biggest problem faced by youth today is our reluctance to take responsibility for our own failings, we set the example.

Kelly , London, England

Perhaps the context of the article might have been made clearer, in that it really refers to the challenge of achieving social mobility (upwards) of white working class males (unlike Asians), where peer group pressure generally promotes rebellion and failure rather than responsibility and success.

Alan Gooch, Honiton,

Let's be honest; home life is tough for all of us. We see the worst of our kids, and they see us at our most tired and wretched.No wonder they get inspired by what they meet outside the home more readily than in the home. Plato had the right answers about civil life - the family is dead.

John Pownall, Bridport,

I believe we all carry the influences of our background and environment with us wherever we go, in the same way that our genes with us.

We cannot change the genes or parents, which makes it vital that the social environment is managed, the removal of habitual criminals from schools is essential.

edward green, upminster,

There is no concrete evidence to support nature either. Concordance rates of behaviours in twin studies are very rarely 100% for monozygotic and 50% for dyzygotic.If these figures were always the case a biological basis for behaviour would be accepted - the environment has to play a part.

Emma, Merseyside,

The reason for the success of Asian students in our schools is not the home environment. It is their genetic predisposal to high intelligence and an innate ability to focus on task orientated behaviour. Ask any teacher or lecturer. Simple

speedo, london,

Isn't it wonderful? You write a piece criticising the tendency of politicians to approach this debate based on a priori assumptions rather than scientific evidence.

And the majority of the comments just churn out the same old a priori assumptions. Apparently they didn't understand you at all.

Robert Elliot, Twickenham,

If our selves are defined by our relationship to our early peer group, then "mobility" of any sort must represent some kind of pathological behaviour. "Good pathology" perhaps but still pathology.

By definition, social mobility can only ever be a minority sport - so why do people obsess about it?

Ian Kemmish, Biggleswade, UK

If you want proof that parents are responsibility for social mobility look at the statistics for achievement by the children from Chinese and South Indian backgrounds. They don't outperform other groups, including White British, because of their peers.

Neil Howlett, Frome, Somerset

It is well-known to linguists and psychologists that a child's ability to learn language without an accent switches off between ages 14 and 15. So, Kissinger has an accent, and his younger brother does not. This is to be expected. The younger brother learned English before age 15.

MJ Hoeber, Orlando, USA

"The children of immigrants usually speak the language of their birthplace without an accent, even if their parents speak with a heavy accent."? I think you need to get out more Daniel.

Neil Howlett, Frome, Somerset

Surely 'the task of polticians is to improve human nature.' At least that's what a Labour leader said a few years ago - the one whom Brown admired so much. Forget parents, schools, mates - leave it to our Leader. He clearly has his finger on the pulse of the nation.

john problem, winchester, uk

i have six children (with two wives). they're all different but have been largely treated and raised similarly.
my only conclusion: generalising is generally wrong.

OS, London, UK

But I do not have the accent of my parents, nor that of my peers - I made a conscious decision to control it. People are not condemned by anything around them, only by their own choices and actions. That means that individuals are responsible for themselves and should be treated accordingly.

John Scott, London,

Yes, I'd agree with Jason from Toronto. Children develop attitudes and outlooks by age that remain with them for the rest of their lives, and are automatic components in the structuring of their relationships with others. There are boundaries to a person's potential that are set by this age.

Simon Stephenson, Windermere, UK

As a parent I feel parents have most influence by showing respect and allowing children to be themselves. Set a good example but don't preach. Let them work things out for themselves. Be caring of course but not too the extent that they feel thwarted and constrained.

d mckeever, birmingham,

Is it possible that the kind of home environment you experience is a huge factor in influencing the kind of peers you feel comfortable with in the first place? If so, then peer group influence is still dependent upon home culture.

JohnT, Birmingham, UK

There is little doubt that nature, nurture and peer pressure are the three dominant factors that decide a person’s character. It is impossible to understand the ratio because we humans vary so much. This is why there never will be an ideal education system, or a political one.

Peter Kaldor, Woking, U.K.

Much of parents's concern about schools is not about academic achievement but about finding acceptable peers for their children. That this happens when they are eleven rather than at five is an indication that concerned parents know that at this age children become more influenced by others.

Mr P. Inson, Colchester, Essex

Even if Judith Rich Harris over-eggs her argument it still makes sense to take peer pressure seriously.

It ought to be one more nail in the coffin of giant comprehensives. Why help bog-standard peer pressure achieve strategic concentration? I say divide and conquer!

Christopher Chantrill, Seattle, USA

James from Toronto is right. A child may or may not give way to negative peer pressure at school. But he has little chance of school success in the first place without good pre-school guidance as to speech, manners, obedience, concentration, the value of learning etc.

Janet Davis, Sydney, Australia

Parents teach children in the hope they will be better equipped socially, morelly and educated to such a level that by the time they entre adulthood they are able to cope and more over compete in an ever changing world. Problems stem from the parents lack of time, resources or experience to do this

Dave Farmer, Broxbourne, England

Family Law courts also have a role to play when considering the plight of young people and their social mobility. This is a fundermental flaw meaning young people are ending up being sent from piller to post at the wim of a proffesional, is it any wonder so many end up in crime, pregnant or dead?

Dave Farmer, Broxbourne, England

It is summer! And here is a *hot* topic for your next party! As long as you don't define which character traits you mean by the "what" in "what we are", you are always right, whatever(!) you say! Don't be shy! Don't get too specific, it'd ruin the fun!

If a Times columnist can do it, so can you!

Wolfgang, Boulder, CO, USA

Parents with high expectations for their children, who communicate and reinforce those expectations through education, respect for work, and ethical behavior have the greatest impact on their children and prepare them to cope with the good or bad influence of their peers.

Nancy, Toronto, Canada

Anyone knows why Henry Kissinger has an accent! Language is absorbed in the very earliest years. Learning a second language before puberty allows one to do so without an accent. After puberty, one can be capable, but rarely as fluent or without an accent. Nothing to do with the article "of course".

Nancy, Toronto, Canada

because something is said, does not make it true

Andrew , derby,

Clearly Daniel Finkelstein has absolutely no experience WHATEVER, or knowledge of, any parents or children other than those of his own (middle class?) childhood background or his current social status. He should try spending a week teaching kids in a school in a very socially deprived area.

James, Nantwich,

After a couple of glasses of whiskey, this is a good one to try on Tony and set cat amongst pigeons!

Rod

Anna Staniland, Taunton, UK

It is said the years before 5 last the rest of their lives. Prior to school the main influence upon a child is its parents & family. This would appear to provide a basic framework & social behaviour prior to schooling/peers. A weak basic structure makes a child easier to lead astray by peers

Jason Pearson, Toronto, Canada

Nature vs Nurture was major phraseology in the Hans Eysenk pop-phsychology books on intelligence in the 1960s

80/20 was his Nature/Nurture ratio. Since then I have heard 20/80

But really Daniel, surely the ratio is about 50/50 for what makes you. But yes. Peer-group pressure is huge indeed.

Jim Murray, Liverpool,

Dead right, but the case has been made repeatedly for decades with astonishingly little impact. We will (of course) go on pulling on the wrong piece of rope.

Ken Leyland, Liverpool, U.K.