...Nature vs. Nurture Troy Crosland WGU Issues in Behavior Science GLT1 Nature vs. Nurture Issues concerning the nature vs. nurture debate are amongst the oldest in science. This debate centers around the argument of biological and genetic contributions as opposed to those imposed on human development from environmental factors. Many scholars such as Descartes and Plato suggest many of our individual traits are inherited from our parents, they happen naturally regardless of any influence from our environment. John Locke and many other prominent thinkers have promoted the idea of tabula rasa (blank slate), which promotes the idea that when born our minds are like a blank slate ready to be shaped by experience and influence from our environment. (Cherry, 2011, p. 1) The controversy surrounding the nature vs. nurture debate is over whether children develop various attributes based on their genetics known as “nature” or is it more associated to how they are raised which is know as “nurture”. (Sessions & Larson, 2011, expression 1) So why does it matter if we are born intelligent, or become intelligent? There are many reasons the nature vs. nurture debate continues, her are a few reasons: * Parenthood/Relationships: If specific attributes are due to environmental factors (nurture), parents and educators can implement the most effective methods discovered in order to get the best results. If said attributes are determined to be more influenced by genetics (nature)...
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...Describe the basic elements of the nature-nurture controversy. The amount of influence that genes have on personality verses the influence of learning experiences is not only related to genetics but also psychology. The debate of nature- nurture controversy has been studied for over 130 years and is still being researched. “After studying many prominent English families, Galton concluded that intelligence is inherited- that nature, not nurture, is responsible for intelligence” (Wood, Wood, & Boyd, 2005, p. 278). Nature refers to an individual’s innate qualities. Genes is considered nature, the physical and personality traits determined by ones genes will always stay the same. The coding of genes determines an individual’s traits such as eye color, hair color, and height. Nurture refers to personal experiences. This refers to ones childhood and how they were raised. This debate will always be controversial. An individual’s traits are predetermined by their genes but life experiences are what shape a person. There have been many research studies completed regarding this debate with no conclusive results. Discuss what is controversial in the nature- nurture debate. Nature versus nurture is one of the most frequently debated issues among psychologists. The term was created by a British researcher Sir Francis Galton who studied the role of genes in intelligence. The debate is about the importance of an individual’s inherited qualities versus personal experiences in determining...
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...Since the beginning of recorded time one has been told that ‘you have your mothers eyes’ or ‘You’re tall like your father’ and it has been accepted that humans inherit their appearance traits from their parents, however where does one get their talent for hockey, their intelligence, or their habits; does one learn these from their environment or were they programmed by genetics? Well this brings to light the age old debate of nature vs. nurture. The Nature and Nurture debate stems into many areas that make humans what they are, with one of those factors being their religion, and when examining religion it is found that nurture trumps nature in shaping the beliefs of oneself. Since the Ancient Egyptians and even before (Mesopotamians) religion and spirituality have existed, there has been a consensual acceptance that there is a God, and when one closes their eyes for the last time, they become one with God, or in some cases; the devil or the ‘netherworld’. Through those times and the times of the Catholic church according to world renowned psychologist Dr Olivera Petrovich; “Religion has become the natural state-it is now hard wired by families into babies brains, it is atheism that is learned”. She bases the mantra of religion being parental based on a study of four hundred B.C. children of different faiths, and many aged four-six Japanese children. When asking all of these children about their faith they all without any guidance from their parents say they believe in God;...
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...Nature Verses Nurture The discussion on the importance of heredity and environment in human development is not new. The nature verses nurture question has been debated for years (Psychology). Nurture side of the debate considers all the environmental influences on an individual after conception. While the nature side of the debate focus on nature that which is inherited, or know as genetics. The nature verse nurture discussion has been a part of the history of psychology that goes back to Francis Galton. Galton was influenced by the book, The Origin of Species written by his cousin, Charles Darwin. The Origin of Species has been criticized for over simplifying two theories of why a lifestyle of wealth, education and privilege seems to be passed on to biological children. Galton takes credit for the phrase in his English Men of Science: Their Nature and Nurture, first published in 1874. In this book he states that nature and nurture are, "a convenient jingle of words, for it separates under two distinct heads the innumerable elements of which personality is composed. Nature is all that a man brings with himself into the world and nurture is every influence that affects him after his birth” (p.12). It is thought that how one is nurtured is what controls the psychological aspects of child development and the concept of growth applies to the biological facets of human life. When infants bonds to the individual(s) bestowing love and affection, she/he has received, she/he...
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...Abstract The quest for an 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...
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...Life Span Perspective The life span perspective of development provides intriguing information about the development of individuals through their lifespan, such as who individuals are, how individuals came to be who they are, and who those individuals will become. Psychoanalytic theories offer insight into life span development and explain the stages of development that individuals proceed through in their lifespan. The life span perspective of development also provides important information in regard to how the effects of heredity, and the environment may interact to produce individual differences in life span development. Life Span Perspective of Development To study human development the life span perspective is necessary because it does not just take into account the development that occurs in childhood or adulthood but every phases of life (Berger, 2011). The life span perspective is a view of human development characterized by multicontextual, multicultural, multidisciplinary, multidirectional, and plastic characteristics Development is multicontextual, therefore the several contexts, such as economic constraints, family patterns, and historical conditions embed the lives of humans (Berger, 2011). Development is multicultural; therefore several cultures affect the development of individuals. Development is multidisciplinary; therefore psychology and other disciplines, such as biology, neuroscience, education, economics, anthropology, sociology, religion...
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...D1: Evaluate how nature and nurture may affect the physical, intellectual, emotional and social development for two stages of the development of the individual. Therefore you should select two stages, not necessarily in sequence. In order to evaluate you must consider the extent to which both nature and nurture influence the development of the individual. You could conclude by deciding which, if either, is the most influential. You should refer to research evidence in your evaluation. 50+ years Subject A is an elder lady who lives at home with her son and three grandchildren. She also has dementia; a syndrome associated with an ongoing decline of the brain and its abilities. This includes problems with: memory loss, thinking speed, mental agility, language, understanding and judgement. In her situation, nature can have a negative effect on her physical development due to her disorder meaning that she can’t do much for herself. Things like cooking, showering or going shopping influences her development negatively as she can’t do anything herself. As dementia is something that is inherited, it may have been developed from her parents or something that runs in her family therefore it is hard to overcome which are the physical effects on her development. Intellectually, due to old age or just getting older, developing something like dementia, is also seen as a nurture. Someone else in the family may have had dementia which therefore increased the chance of someone else developing...
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...NATIONAL CENTER FOR CASE STUDY TEACHING IN SCIENCE Nature or Nurture: The Case of the Boy Who Became a Girl by Keith K. Schillo Biology Department SUNY College at Oneonta Part I – A Tragic Error In 1965, Janet Reimer of Winnepeg gave birth to twin boys named Bruce and Brian (Colapinto, 2004; CBC, 2004). Both infants were normal and healthy, but because they had difficulty urinating doctors recommended that they undergo circumcision (i.e., surgical removal of the foreskin of the penis) at six months of age. Although this is a routine operation, the doctors who performed this procedure used an unconventional method that resulted in the destruction of Bruce’s penis. Mr. and Mrs. Reimer sought the advice of numerous specialists, but all agreed that Bruce would have to live without a penis. At the time that the Reimers were coping with the mutilation of their son’s genitalia, a Johns Hopkins University psychologist was receiving considerable attention for his ideas on the biology of gender and sexuality. He promoted the theory that a child’s gender identity (i.e., the identification of the self as male or female) was determined by environmental variables such as the social conditions in which the child is raised. This idea is a form of the “nurture theory” of development. A competing view is the so-called “nature theory”; that is, the idea that a person’s innate qualities are determined solely by biological mechanisms. The psychologist was essentially advocating...
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...Over the years there has been a constant debate between natures versus nurture. Although the environment in which a child is raised plays a good part in the person that they are going to become, it does not solely decide what kind of human being they are. The way our parents raised us determines what kind of individual we will become. As we grow and mature our decisions and are consequences mold us into responsible adults. Becoming who we are and starts way before we are ever thought of. The way that our parents were raised by their parents plays a huge role in the Way that our parents teach us the rights and wrongs of our lives. When we are created, we each have our own set of genes. Our genes tell us about our Basic outline. Are genes tell...
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...many studies completed outlined by literature on a variety of theories of personality. The importance of individual differences and distinctiveness of the individual are the most frequently studied of personality theories. Personality refers to individual differences in characteristic patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving. The study of personality focuses on two comprehensive areas: One understands individual differences in particular personality characteristics, such as sociability or irritability. The other understands how the various parts of a person come together as a whole. Some scientists think that your personality is based on genetic predispositions or nature. Other scientists think the way you act stems from life experience, the way you were taught, and the environment in which you grew up or nurture. Personality can best be described as personal qualities of an individual. There are no two people have the same personality, however, all the different personalities in the world can be characterized into four main theories. The four psychologists that thought up the four theories are Sigmund Freud, Jean Piaget, Erik Erikson, and Abraham Maslow. Each man based his theory on a different part of a person’s personality development. The study of personality traits is beneficial in identifying the many variables that exist from human to human; the combinations of these variables provide us with a true level of individuality and uniqueness. Personality is the...
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...such as genetic malification | Determinism - Determinist views discount individual differences- It is possible to chose some of our behaviours as we choose to respond in a certain way | Reductionism vs Holism | Reductionism is the belief that behaviour can be explain buy splitting and sectioning behaviours, sometimes over simplifying the human brain. Holism on the over hand accepts behaviour can be explained through the use of combinations of psychological aprroaches and debates | Reductionist- By focusing on one thing we can clearly see a cause and effect - It is possible to build up an increasingly complete explanation of psychological phenomena | Reductionist - It is possible to miss out other factors decreasing validity - Reductionist approach is invariably linked with the experimental method which frequently lacks ecological validity. | Nature vs Nurture | This debate is concerned with finding whether behaviours are either inherited (genetic) or aquired (learned) charecteristics. | Nature - The evidence collected can be very useful in the medical industry - if genetic inheritance explains behaviour, research can lead to the 'perfect' human being | Nature - If genetic inheritance explains behaviour, research can lead to the 'perfect' human being - We are in danger of overlooking the massive...
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...The nature versus nurture issue of sport is very controversial. When we come to talk about great athletes we tend to ask ourselves a question that has been around every since sports have started- are great athletes born or made? From my experiences, and other professional athlete’s experiences, I can tell you that they are made. I believe that you can achieve anything life if you want it bad enough, and are willing to do everything you can to achieve it. For instance, NBA great Reggie Miller of the Indiana Pacers is an un-athletic, skinny person who overcame leg deformities as a child that prevented him from walking. He had to wear leg braces for several years until his leg problems were corrected enough for him to start walking again. Eventually, Miller went on to play in the NBA for 13 seasons, while setting the record for most 3-point shots made (Beyond the Glory: Reggie Miller 2004). Therefore, in my opinion, Miller was not a “born” athlete. I feel that he worked hard to develop his skill, and make it into the NBA. On the other hand, many people believe that genetics make up good athletes. They believe that people are born with the ability to become a great athlete. For instance, people believe that Reggie Miller was born with genes that would make him a good basketball player since he was born with potential to grow tall. Miller is now 6’6, and almost every great basketball player surpasses the height of 6’4. Therefore, being tall gives you an advantage in basketball,...
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...a) Upbringing refers to the way a child is raised in terms of religion and moral values, which is effected by factors within their family (primarily their parents), environmental and social factors, and the dominant views in their culture. This will determine your behaviour as an adult. We research upbringing so that if an individual is at high risk of developing criminal behaviour due to his upbringing, the risks can be easily reduced by changing the way an individual is brought up. Upbringing suggests that criminal behaviour can be learnt from others, i.e. if a child observes criminal behaviour he is at high risk of committing a crime. There are three ways through which an individual learns from others: classical conditioning, operant conditioning and the social learning theory. Social learning theory is the idea that we learn indirectly, through others – normally role models (such as criminal family members, criminal peers etc.). In Akers et al study on social learning and deviant behaviour, data on adolescent drinking and drug-taking behaviour was collected by a survey. A large sample of teenagers was surveyed, with a small sub-group interviewed to check the validity of the data. Quantitative data was collected by asking about the frequency of their alcohol and drug consumption on a scale of 1 (never) to 6 (nearly everyday) and qualitative data was collected by asking about their alcohol or drug related experience, why they were involved in alcohol and drug consumption,...
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...surroundings build the rest. Some psychologists strongly believe that genetics have fairly little to do with people's 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...
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...The psychological debate of nature vs. nurture is one that has been deliberated and refuted for many years. This debate is so controversial because although it is fact that genetic makeup does play a major role in developing a person, the nurture and environment in which a person is brought up in is also an important factor. The nature vs. nurture issue dates back to Ancient Greeks, through the times of Aristotle and John Locke, with each philosopher projecting their own individual thoughts on the matter. Although nature depicts the development of a person in terms of their appearance and certain personality traits, nature and the setting and situations in which a person grows up is more important in explaining the development of a person because ultimately a person is an overall reflection of the environment of which they were brought up in. Each person comes from different backgrounds, religions, and environments, which are all external factors that play a large role in the development of an individual. Diet, stress, prenatal nutrition, peer pressure, and television are just some of the more specific environmental factors that can affect a person. Clearly, there are many more aspects of the nurture debate that contribute to the argument that a person’s upbringing is what will influence their development. For example, NBC reported that in a study where teenagers played violent video games and non violent video games, the violent video games were proven...
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