Do Twins Think Alike? Interesting Proof vs. Science

People often have many inquiries about twins. One commonly asked question is about the level of similarity between twins beyond their physical appearance. The extent of their likeness is often pondered.

Do twins think the same? Yes, identical twins do have similar brain activity in certain situations. Research found that identical twins are the ones impacted by this phenomenon because they share identical genes. Brain imaging proves that their thought processes are more similar than other people’s.

However, similar brain activity is not the same as being psychic or sharing one brain. There are limits, and it’s important to understand them and to treat each twin as the individual they are. 

Do Twins Think Alike?

From what researchers know, identical twins do show more similar brain activity than other people. The reasons for this make sense when examined.

Why Many Twins Think Alike

The most common reasons that twins think alike have to do with the built-in closeness inherent in their situation. From sharing a womb to sharing a home, twins walk through life together from the moment they exist in most circumstances.

1. Shared Experiences

Twins who grow up together often share the same experiences. They are together almost all of the time, starting in the womb, so it makes sense that they would have shared experiences that create similar thought patterns.

They may also share memories from their lives because they are together so much of the time.

2. Particularly Close Bond

Twins start interacting in the womb at around 14 weeks. This is a bond that starts early and is intense.

This bond can spill into other aspects of life, like creating their own language or understanding what the other is thinking.

A close bond would make it more likely that the thought process of twins would line up. They may be able to empathize or understand their twin in ways the rest of us can’t understand.

3. Influenced by the Same Parents & Environment

Growing up in the same environment with the same caregivers gives all siblings a certain framework that is similar. For twins, this is even more intense because they are the same age and experience their home life from that perspective. 

Parents will probably also treat their twins the same because they are the same age and in the same phases of life.

4. Similar Brain Activity Patterns

Though only true for identical twins, research proves that twins have the same brain activity in certain situations. This makes sense when looked at from a scientific perspective.

Identical twins share the same DNA. Fraternal twins only share half, and that makes them as similar as any other set of siblings.

Intelligence and memory are impacted by our genes. Since identical twins have the same genes, they have similar thought processes and may approach tasks from the same perspective. 

Do Twins Always Think Alike?

Twins do not always think alike. Identical twins showed similar thought patterns when carrying out menial tasks, but there is plenty of room for different thought patterns in other situations.

Indeed, the same DNA combined with growing up in the same environment will impact identical twins, but it doesn’t predispose them to make all the same decisions as their twin.

Thinking Alike vs. Telepathy

The evidence proving identical twins think alike is based on scientific tests examining brain activity. These studies point to DNA impacting our thought patterns just like it affects our likelihood of being diagnosed with certain health conditions.

It doesn’t mean twins are psychic but simply points to what we know about genes being true.

Telepathy is defined as communicating thoughts without using the other known senses. People who think twins have telepathy believe they can read each other’s minds unprompted by outside stimuli. 

Stories of twins being able to feel their sibling’s pain from miles away exist.

An identical twin in my family broke her arm, and her twin experienced excruciating pain in the same arm at the same time that it occurred without knowing what had happened.

However, anecdotal evidence is not the same as scientific data, and telepathy between twins has not been proven to exist.

Anecdotal Evidence

If you are around twins for any amount of time, you will notice that they finish each other’s sentences frequently. Their minds seem to be headed in the same direction even when they aren’t aware of it.

There are many stories about twins shopping separately and coming home with the same items.

Identical twins raised apart often end up strikingly similar, choosing the same profession, driving the same car, or enjoying the exact same hobbies. All of this points to similar brain activity that can be explained by sharing genes.

What Science Says on the Matter

Scientific data shows identical twins think alike and experience similar brain activity. However, it does not prove that twins experience telepathy or psychic abilities.

Siblings who are not twins may report anecdotal stories of telepathic experiences that simply turn out to be coincidences. The same can happen with identical twins. 

While it’s common to attribute any story you hear from a twin about similar experiences or sensations as a telepathic connection, there is simply no science to support this at all.

Related Questions: 

Do Twins Have the Same IQ?

Identical twins have extremely similar IQs in the majority of cases. Again, sharing the same DNA means intelligence is similar, so IQ would be expected to be close.

In fraternal twins, the difference in IQ is higher since they only share 50 percent of their DNA.

Do Twins Have ESP?

Though there is plenty of anecdotal evidence for twins having extrasensory perception (ESP), there is no scientific support. Twins have a unique bond, but that does not mean they have ESP.

Final Thoughts

Twins, no matter how identical, are each individual people with their own needs and wants.

However, you may see evidence of similar thought patterns when two people share identical DNA, are raised together, and know each other from the womb.