...Paper January 22, 2015 The nature versus nurture debate has lasted for centuries because of the difficulty of separating genetic and environmental factors in human beings. Psychologists have been debating for years and years if genetics or your surroundings are more important in determining your personalities. It is truly fascinating to stop and ask your self some questions. What makes me shy or brave? What makes me smart and what makes me lack common sense? What makes me the way I am? Is it the way I was born and the genetics I have or is it because of the environment I grew up around and the behaviors I caught on to? Just thinking about all the questions you can stop and ask yourself about why you are the way you are can give you some idea as to why nature versus nurture is still such a big debate today. The coding in each of our cells determines the different traits that we are going to have, more dominantly like the eye color, hair color, ear size and height. “However, it is still not known weather the more abstract attributes like personality, intelligence, sexual orientation, likes and dislikes are gene coded in our DNA, too”(explorable.com). One of the hottest issues that people like to bring up today regarding looking at the nature theory is the gay issue. People like the say that there is an actual “gay gene” that exists and that gay people are born that way. Another issue that we face today would be the “behavioral gene”. Criminal acts, divorce, and even aggressive...
Words: 2422 - Pages: 10
...Introduction The phrase “nature versus nurture” was first used in its modern interpretation by the British psychologist, Francis Galton (Princeton, 2012). He began his studies concerning heredity in 1865, being moderately influenced by Charles Darwin’s publication “Origin of Species”, Galton was in favor of the idea that success was caused by superior inherited qualities, he hypothesized that human mental and personality traits were fundamentally inherited as they are in other animals (Indiana, 2012). The purpose of this paper is to establish which qualities relating to personality and development are proven to be at least partly inherited, and whether some other aspects of human personality and development are caused by environmental factors. The first section of the paper will be a brief overview of the research methodology of this field, the second section will contain a discussion of research relating to heritable factors and how they influence development, the third a look at how environmental interaction might influence personality and finally some criticism towards this field of study. Main Body The research of genetics and heredity is often difficult due to the vast amount of variables in the development of human beings, to keep variables to a minimum the most popular method of research in this field the study of twins. Twin studies involve comparing data produced by monozygotic (Identical) twins , these are twins who come from the same...
Words: 1767 - Pages: 8
...Epigentics vs Nature vs Nurture Santina Wood ENG101 Argosy University 03/4/2014 Instructor Benjamin Atkins Epigenetics -vs- Nature -vs- Nurture The nature vs nurture debate is still ongoing, and within this debate, the world of science and psychology are faced with two new questions. Today we find some researchers asking; "Is development predetermined at birth, by hereditary factors, or do experience and other environ -mental factors affect it?", and "Can the two work together in shaping human development and behavior?" Developmental psychologists still attempt to find the answers to these questions in order to discover the sources of growth in children's cognitive, language, and social skills. Most developmental psychologists believe that nature and nurture combine to influence biological factors playing a stronger role in some aspects, such as physical development, and environmental factors playing a stronger role in others, such as moral development. They are also beginning to acknowledge the role of a variable combination of both inborn factors and social experiences when explaining children's behavior. Scientists and Psychologists have a name for such an occurrence; epigenetics/epigenesis. In this essay, I will be presenting to my audience information on this highly, and sometimes heated debate, as well as the reasons as to why the belief of this dual influence called epigenetics is becoming more fact than theory. For...
Words: 1643 - Pages: 7
...innocent or guilty of murder to his father. In the play we see different accounts of prejudice. Do people’s backgrounds, acquaintances’ ideas, etc. influence an individual’s ideas? This question brings up the classic argument of nature vs. nurture. Does nature or nurture have more of an influence on a person? Nature lays the base of a person’s being. It’s the DNA and instinct of a person. It tells you if you can roll your tongue or not or, for example, it’s the reason someone has a mental disease. It's the born with instinct's of a person that describes a person's nature. People make the argument that a person’s nature is more of an influence become if someone has a disease, they will be plagued with the effects for their life. Scientists are trying to find “behavioral genes” that explain why a person acts the way they do (decision making, personal views, treatment to others, and any other behavioral attitudes). However, nothing has been found yet that exemplifies these genes. An estimated 26.2 percent of Americans ages 18 and older or about one in four adults suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a year. This can be translated to 57.7 million Hovatter 2 people. This is the most evidence a nature supporter could have that would influence a person’s being the most. Nurture is the developmental process of a person. It’s the cause that teachers, psychologists, lawyers, and other specialists have based a part of their career on. The argument is that...
Words: 826 - Pages: 4
...Discuss this statement in light of the nature-nurture debate and considering recent and relevant literature. For a number of years the dilemma of whether criminal behaviour is inherent in families or is triggered by various external factors in an individual’s environment has influenced and inspired an abundance of both criminological and psychological research. Many replicable studies have been conducted in an attempt to establish the core source of deviant and/or criminal actions , and whether such actions are to be attributed to genetics, or to one’s environment , nature or nurture. This paper shall seek to establish, where possible , the route to criminal behaviour and evaluate potential factors that could influence an individual to become delinquent . Gottfredson & Hirschi (1990) set forth a general theory of crime that identified low self-control as the main causal factor. Their theory also proposed the notion that parents play the decisive role in either nurturing or thwarting the development of self-control – dependant on the parent’s ability to monitor and supervise a child’s behaviour and respond appropriately to anti-social behaviour. They claim that parents are the sole contributors to the cause of low self-control and therefore they reject potential genetic contributions in their theory . Their theory illustrates that criminal behaviour is simply caused by one’s parental socialization and upbringing, not by inherent genes . This concept is seemingly simplistic given...
Words: 1720 - Pages: 7
...It has long been debated upon whether identity is caused by genes, or environment. Are personality, development, behavior, intelligence and ability genetically predispositioned? Or does it stem from life experience and upbringing? While there is no definitive answer to this interminable question, It is widely agreed upon that both nature and nurture cooperate together in the exponential growth of our identity. Nature is defined as “the range of human behaviors that is believed to be innate rather than learned.” (What Does "Nature Versus Nurture" Mean?, 2014) People who take this extreme heredity stance are known as nativists. Their basic assumption is that the characteristics of the human species as a whole are a product of evolution. Each person’s unique genetic code determines individual differences. Simple things like eye color, stature and freckles can be attributed to the construction of your genes. But they also help explain why someone is gay or straight, or religious or not....
Words: 742 - Pages: 3
...the formation of gender identity. Gender identity is not completely understood as it is much more complex than the joining of a sperm and an egg. For many people, the terms “gender” and “sex” are interchangeable. Biological sex and gender are different; gender is not inherently connected to one’s physical anatomy as biological sex is. When one thinks’ of the term “gender”, we are referring to the role and personalities one assumes within society, for example in American culture females tend to be perceived as more nurturing and males are aggressive and dominant. Hormones and behavior affect gender identity in significant ways each with a distinct purpose. To understand the difference of biological sex and gender, nature versus nurture, and how the environment has an effect this paper will review and explain the interactions between hormones and behaviors and how those interactions affect the determination of gender identity. Gender development starts at the point one is conceived. Gender identity is defined as an individual’s self conception of being either male or female, as distinguished from actual biological sex (Britannica, 2013). Gender differences exist in nearly every social phenomena and for most persons, gender identity and biological characteristics are the same however there are some circumstances in which some individuals experience little or no connection between sex and gender (Britannica, 2013). Starting at birth, gender expectations influence how boys and girls...
Words: 1517 - Pages: 7
...Influence of Heredity and Hormones on Human Behavior Introduction to Behavioral Science 1/17/2013 Christina Lakeman Throughout the years many scientist and psychologist argued the impact of “nature versus nurture” some believe that we are influenced by our environment and experiences (nurture) and others believes that who we are based on our genetic makeup and heredity (nature). The question to whether we as humans are influenced by nurture or do we inherit certain levels of intelligence has never been answered, but there are test that prove assumptions, but the argument is still relevant today. “Behavior genetics focuses on the extent to which heredity accounts for individual differences in behavior and thinking.” There are chromosomes in each of us that carry genes, which are the basic units of heredity, and we inherit things from our parents such as the same eye color, and facial features. So it is proven that genes are inherited, and certain characteristics are passed on from one person to another, but the question still arises when it comes to behaviors and ways of thinking. Genes do not directly affect behavior, but they do affect both the development and operation of the nervous system and the endocrine system, which, in turn, influence the likelihood that a certain behavior will occur under circumstances (Moffitt, 2005; Wahlsten, 1999). Hormones The endocrine system is a form of communication in our body that is made up of endocrine glands that produce...
Words: 445 - Pages: 2
...answer to what determines human behavior has been going on for many years now, is it nature or nurture? The broad scope of human behavior has compelled researchers across various fields to systematically analyze what compels individuals to act the way they do. Is human behavior encoded in genetics or does it evolve by way of individual experience and environment. Through the review of recent empirical data across these various fields it is clear that both nature and nurture plan an important role in the development of human behavior. Subsequently multidirectional models have emerged with a mounting emphasis on how nature and nurture act independently in addition to collectively each forever shaping the other. Together Nature and Nurture Shape Human Behavior. The discussion concerning the appropriate significance of genetics and environment in human behavior has been around for quite a long while. This topic has generated massive attention, throughout the years, gaining numerous supporters on both sides of the debate. This attention essentially, has lead to some of the most remarkable psychological discoveries in recent years. The terms nature and nurture can be traced back to13th century France, expressed by Francis Galton in 1874 (Nature versus nurture, 2011). The term nurture in refers to the manner in which behavior is shaped by culture and environment. It builds its foundation on John B. Watson's theory of behaviorism, which suggests that human...
Words: 1898 - Pages: 8
...Record: 1 Full Text Database: Book Review Digest Plus (H.W. Wilson) Title:|The Nurture Assumption (Book Review). | Authors:|Smith, Peter K.| Source:|Politics & the Life Sciences. Mar2000, Vol. 19 Issue 1, p12. 3p. | Document Type:|Book Review| Subjects:|NURTURE Assumption, The (Book)BOOKS -- ReviewsHARRIS, JudithCHILDRENNONFICTION| Abstract:|Reviews the book 'The Nurture Assumption: Why Children Turn Out the Way They Do,' by Judith Rich Harris.| ISSN:|0730-9384| Accession Number:|4986086| || Persistent link to this record (Permalink):|http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=pbh&AN=4986086&site=ehost-live| || Cut and Paste:|The Nurture Assumption (Book Review).| || Database: |Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection| AUTHOR: |Peter K. Smith| TITLE: |The Nurture Assumption| SOURCE: |Politics and the Life Sciences 19 no1 112-14 Mr 2000| The magazine publisher is the copyright holder of this article and it is reproduced with permission. Further reproduction of this article in violation of the copyright is prohibited. The Nurture Assumption: Why Children Turn Out the Way They Do Judith Rich Harris New York: The Free Press, 1998, 462 pp. US$25.50 cloth. ISBN 0-684-84409-5. US$15.00 paper. ISBN 0-684-85707-3. Simon and Schuster, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020, USA. Judith Rich Harris's book has generated very considerable controversy and publicity. The bottom line of her argument is that, when we think...
Words: 1909 - Pages: 8
...NATURE VS NUTURE 1 Nature and Nurture Development Mary Smith PSY 330 Tim Wilder January 26, 2014 NATURE VS NUTURE 2 The nature versus nurture debate, as it relates to human development, is unique and gravitates to all humans for decades. In the field of psychology, the question frequently arises as to how much of human behavior is due to environment and how much is due to genetic influence. There are various methods used to determine if violent behavior is a function of nature or nurture. There was a study conducted in Germany and the UK, which involved a child’s behavior due to their environment and how much is due to their genetics. “It is society (or culture, respectively) into which the children are born, with its prevailing behavioral norms, creeds, social structures, attitudes, mentalities, etc., which imprints and profiles the newborn humans” (Voland, E., 2000). Nature are the elements which make up a person such as their qualities. Nurture is to raise, educate, support and love a person. Violence is a natural phenomenon that should be treated, or violence is a learned behavior that children should be taught to avoid. Before making an assumption or decision, onlookers of the debate should consider how genetics may come into play in the behaviors of individuals, how environment may affect an individual’s behaviors, and how they both may interact to create violence as a whole. Nature refers to an individual's...
Words: 534 - Pages: 3
...Assumption 1- Behaviour can be explained in terms of neurotransmitters (electrically excitable cells) these sends messages across the synapse. Dendrites make the synapse flexible. Neurotransmitters inhabit or excite other neurons. For example dopamine stimulates other neurons. Assumption 2-Behaviour can be explained in terms of hormones (biochemical substances) which travel around the blood stream and target certain organs, for example Adrenaline targets such organs as the heart and increases heart rate. Hormones are slower than neurotransmitters but they are more effective. GAS- General Adaption syndrome- Its called general because its how the body reacts to all stressors, Its adaption because its adaptive (it helps people survive by flight or fight) and its a syndrome because there are many symptoms to stress. Selye had a 3 stage model which has 3 stages Alarm- this is when the SAM and HPA pathways both open up, SAM is when the endocrine system releases adrenaline that increases heart rate, dilutes eyes and makes blood vessels constricts, The HPA creates more energy by releasing cholesterol that turns protein into glucose for extra energy. The second stage Resistance- This is when the body appears normal and heart rate reduces ect but its having a big effect on the body. The last stage is Exhaustion- This is when the body has been depleted of protein and can cause long term illnesses that are stress related (CHD) Chemotherapy- The use of antipsychotics to treat mental illnesses...
Words: 1331 - Pages: 6
...personalities but rather it is our surroundings, culture, and traditions that shape who we are. According to Saul McLeod, author of "Nature Nurture in psychology from Simply Psychology, "At the other end of the spectrum are the environmentalists – also known as empiricists (not to be confused with the other empirical / scientific approach). Their basic assumption is that at birth the human mind is a tabula rasa (a blank slate) and that this is gradually “filled” as a result of experience." Other people for nurture believe our childhood and experiences are the only thing that determines how well each individual deals with social situations. In the article "Taking the 'vs.' out of nature vs. nurture" the author, Alana Snibbe, states how culture is a big part of nurture and who we are. Culture is humans way of answering life's unanswerable questions and it's this that shapes a lot about how we think and our individual psychology. People who believe in the same things are probably going to think alike and act alike. Obviously, there are some very extreme cases where nature is taken out of the debate all together and nurture is the sole factor to why someone behaves the way they do. Some examples are an abusive parent, being abandoned or neglected and always being in someone's shadow. These situations have a much bigger effect on humans than any genes. On...
Words: 1000 - Pages: 4
...Once she had researched for six months, Harris submitted an article of her theory to a top journal named the Psychological Review (Gladwell 2). Gladwell stated that even though she lacked a Ph.Ds., her draft was accepted and published (2). Even though her health was very low, Harris began to write a book, “The Nurture Assumption”, that consisted of several points to support her theory (Gladwell 2). “Nurture assumption”, according to Harris, is a bias toward parents in human development, and she believes that the world has accepted this concept even though it doesn’t have a role in human development (Gladwell 4). The “nurture assumption” states that children who are shown more love will be kind, while children who are mistreated will not be as nice of kids (Gladwell 4). Gladwell states that Harris believes this to be false and thinks that how parents treat their kids is not the big factor (4). She believes that since fifty percent of personality comes from the parents, children are kind because of the genes that are passed down (Gladwell...
Words: 525 - Pages: 3
...properly. Functionalism is a very inert way to look at sociology and everything happening in society is supposed to happen. A conflict theory is a conflict theory that focuses on how certain parts of our society are in conflict with each other. It is a negative approach of society and shows how the superior members control the lower class for their own benefits. The sociological perspective is a way of maintaining detachment by critically evaluating and testing ideas, and accepting what may be surprising or even hurtful. The sociological viewpoint often hints that clarifications are self-serving. By using the sociological perspective a person is able to go beyond the obvious and question what is accepted as true or practical. Practical assumptions are usually not based on observation, but are merely guesses. The sociological perspective helps people in seeing universal social prototype of behavior from certain individuals and shows how the social behavior reaches past explanations which often rely on individual personality types. Sociological imagination is essential to the sociological perspective of individuals. The sociological perspective is an extensive way of understanding...
Words: 571 - Pages: 3
