Nature Vs. Nurture? Innate Or Learned?
NATURE VS. NURTURE
Is the man the product or what we learn or a predisposition based on our gene pools? Are we limited by our heredity or are we susceptible to our surroundings and upbringing? Nature vs. Nurture? Innate vs. Learned? Even Plato dwelled on this subject, one of his most prominent writings, “Meno” focused on this very subject.
Imagine new parents. They are huddling around their newborn. Their thoughts swirl around the possibilities of what and how their actions will impact and mold their child into the next great musician or athlete. All of their investment into education, training and development would pay off and their child would see the fruits of their own and their parents’ labors. Now imagine, that same child …show more content…
Nurture involve twins. Twin studies provide evidence that genes determine humans’ traits and behaviors. For example, schizophrenia is found to run in families. According to Guo one twin in an identical pair will suffer from schizophrenia. The study also suggests that genes influence such traits and behaviors as height, weight, depression, cognitive development and educational and economic attainment. Many human traits and behaviors result from both genetics and environment factors. Genes “interact with the environment.” Genes provides the potential for a trait but environment conditions heavily factor whether that potential will be realized. In different environments, the same genetics code can be expressed at different level. (Guo) This realization that environment is a secondary factor in how a natural trait or behavior can be either suppressed or nurtured, is rooted in the idea that Nature is the dominant factor in defining our humanity. Becoming a musical prodigy is not possible for anyone, however a musical prodigy needs to be nurtured to maximize his or her potential. (Psych Essay Nature vs. …show more content…
In this Kansas State University report it was estimated that “50 – 60% of the risk of developing alcoholism can be attributed to genetics.” (KSU Drug Alcohol and Other Drug Education Service, 2011) This is not very overwhelmingly convincing that a natural disposition is the major factor in one becoming an alcoholic. In another study listed in the report it is stated that children of alcoholics are 3 to 4 times more likely to become afflicted than those without alcoholic parents. The accessibility and exposure to alcohol at a young age definitely increased the odds of alcoholism. It is suggested that 47% of children under the age of 14 who drank were alcoholically dependent at some point in their life. Where as, only 9% of those who drank at a later age of 20, were equally afflicted. This seems to suggest it is the environmental upbringing that has a larger play in the disposition than genetics. (KSU Drug Alcohol and Other Drug Education Service,
Is the man the product or what we learn or a predisposition based on our gene pools? Are we limited by our heredity or are we susceptible to our surroundings and upbringing? Nature vs. Nurture? Innate vs. Learned? Even Plato dwelled on this subject, one of his most prominent writings, “Meno” focused on this very subject.
Imagine new parents. They are huddling around their newborn. Their thoughts swirl around the possibilities of what and how their actions will impact and mold their child into the next great musician or athlete. All of their investment into education, training and development would pay off and their child would see the fruits of their own and their parents’ labors. Now imagine, that same child …show more content…
Nurture involve twins. Twin studies provide evidence that genes determine humans’ traits and behaviors. For example, schizophrenia is found to run in families. According to Guo one twin in an identical pair will suffer from schizophrenia. The study also suggests that genes influence such traits and behaviors as height, weight, depression, cognitive development and educational and economic attainment. Many human traits and behaviors result from both genetics and environment factors. Genes “interact with the environment.” Genes provides the potential for a trait but environment conditions heavily factor whether that potential will be realized. In different environments, the same genetics code can be expressed at different level. (Guo) This realization that environment is a secondary factor in how a natural trait or behavior can be either suppressed or nurtured, is rooted in the idea that Nature is the dominant factor in defining our humanity. Becoming a musical prodigy is not possible for anyone, however a musical prodigy needs to be nurtured to maximize his or her potential. (Psych Essay Nature vs. …show more content…
In this Kansas State University report it was estimated that “50 – 60% of the risk of developing alcoholism can be attributed to genetics.” (KSU Drug Alcohol and Other Drug Education Service, 2011) This is not very overwhelmingly convincing that a natural disposition is the major factor in one becoming an alcoholic. In another study listed in the report it is stated that children of alcoholics are 3 to 4 times more likely to become afflicted than those without alcoholic parents. The accessibility and exposure to alcohol at a young age definitely increased the odds of alcoholism. It is suggested that 47% of children under the age of 14 who drank were alcoholically dependent at some point in their life. Where as, only 9% of those who drank at a later age of 20, were equally afflicted. This seems to suggest it is the environmental upbringing that has a larger play in the disposition than genetics. (KSU Drug Alcohol and Other Drug Education Service,