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Nature vs. nurture remains one of the most compelling debates in the field of psychology. Most likely, human beings are a product of both nature and nurture. Our genes determine a lot of who we are, including our physical appearance and our psychological makeup. In fact, our physical appearance can sometimes affect how people react to us. Physical traits may affect who our friends are and in some cases, whether discrimination will become a part of our lives.
On the other hand, how we are raised and in what environment also has a strong bearing on what kind of human being we become. As Walt Whitman suggests in his poem "There was a Child went Forth," parents give their children not just their DNA. Parents give "more of themselves" than that, because children learn through observation and can pick up emotions. Children absorb verbal and nonverbal communications and internalize the stimuli in their environments. The child in Whitman's poem absorbs his total surroundings and not just his parents. A personal identity is constructed of the social norms, beliefs, and aesthetic values in the society. Moreover, traumatic and pleasurable memories alike become part of who we are as adults. How a person deals with stress, and what stressors enter their world, are also determined in part by nature and in part by nurture.
It is impossible to escape either DNA or experiences. Both leave indelible marks on human beings. A person can have plastic surgery to change his or her appearance but can never change the underlying cellular structures in their bodies. Similarly, a person can undergo psychological counseling to work on childhood trauma issues but can never extricate the memory from consciousness. The ways nature and nurture interact in the human being does not stop after childhood, either. Even as adults, people continue to absorb their environmental stimuli. Their genes may even determine how well they live and when they will die.
They should not just give them toys, they should also play with them. There are age-appropriate toys available in the market. For instance, Lego is an excellent toy for developing attention and concentration. However, if you leave a child alone with a Lego set, he will probably just throw the pieces around, as he will not understand what he is supposed to do with them. Parents should demonstrate how
Nature vs. nurture debate has been the center of discussion for many years. Some believe that human behavior is created naturally while others believe that human behavior evolves over time. The purpose of this discussion is to discuss both sides of issue and to develop an opinion about which side seems more accurate. Let's begin our discussion by explaining the nature vs. nurture debate. Nature vs. Nurture The first recorded experiment concerning nature
Allely, C., Minnis, H., Thompson, L., Wilson, P., Gillberg, C. (2014). Neurodevelopmental and psychosocial risk factors in serial killers and mass murderers. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 19(3): 288-301. The researchers in this study conduct a meta-analysis of relevant literature including academic studies and legal sources in order to assess the "complex interaction of biological, psychological, and sociological factors" that contribute to the making of a serial killer (p. 288). What the study
Bleidorn, W., Kandler, C., Hulsheger, U.R., Riemann, R., Angleitner, A., & Spinath, F. M. (2010). Nature and nurture of the interplay between personality traits and major life goals. Journal Of Personality And Social Psychology, 99(2), 366-379. doi:10.1037/a0019982 The first article is written by Bleidorn and a few other authors. Per the title, it pertains to the interplay and correlation between a person's personality traits and their life goals as they progress through life.
(O'Neill, 2001, p. 34) There is growing evidence to support the claim that certain behaviors are in found hardwired in your DNA. Conventional thinking had usually been that children are always products of their environment and it is this ecological surroundings that often is at the root cause of either good or bad behavior. But looked at from another viewpoint, it could be possible that their environment, which is generated
Nature vs. Nurture This paper argues that my affinity for basketball is the result of both heredity and environment. Being good at the playing basketball requires certain traits, including physical agility, speed, strength, hand-eye coordination, and so forth, as well as intangible characteristics such as mental toughness, work ethic, basketball IQ etc. There is ongoing debate as to whether the influence of heredity or environment is greater in determining basketball skill,