Nature V Nurture
It is nurture, not nature that is responsible for the way in which human beings behave.
This essay will explain how human characteristics are acquired by inheritance and by learning. It will analyse cases of social deprivation showing the importance of learned behaviour.
Nature versus nurture causes quite a debate more so now than ever. Do your genes or environmental influences have an effect on your personality, behaviour, intelligence and ability? Social scientists have argued their cases for centuries, whether our development is born (nature) or made (nurture). Some argue that it is purely your genes, other say it is what you are taught in your environment that determines your personality. There are some scientists who believe is it both nature and nurture that make us who we are. Either way, this dispute will carry on for centuries to come. There is no, and probably never will be a clear conclusion. The nature side of this debate argue that an individual’s development is purely based on the genes they are born with. It is apparent that the genes you are provided with give us our physical equipment, our beginnings. Genes and chromosomes are passed down from one generation to the next, so without heredity, humans would not have anything to hand down biologically to their descendants. The other side of the debate has shown during many studies that a person’s environment plays a great role in their development. Research has shown that we flourish from an early age with nurturing. The amount of nourishment a person receives also plays a part in their development. A science experiment is done in schools where pupils plant two seeds and grow them under different conditions. Obviously the one that was fed regularly and placed in day light grew. However the one that was kept in the dark and only fed once a day did not grow as well and eventually died. This experiment clearly shows us the end result of nature and nurture interactions. There was once a study
This essay will explain how human characteristics are acquired by inheritance and by learning. It will analyse cases of social deprivation showing the importance of learned behaviour.
Nature versus nurture causes quite a debate more so now than ever. Do your genes or environmental influences have an effect on your personality, behaviour, intelligence and ability? Social scientists have argued their cases for centuries, whether our development is born (nature) or made (nurture). Some argue that it is purely your genes, other say it is what you are taught in your environment that determines your personality. There are some scientists who believe is it both nature and nurture that make us who we are. Either way, this dispute will carry on for centuries to come. There is no, and probably never will be a clear conclusion. The nature side of this debate argue that an individual’s development is purely based on the genes they are born with. It is apparent that the genes you are provided with give us our physical equipment, our beginnings. Genes and chromosomes are passed down from one generation to the next, so without heredity, humans would not have anything to hand down biologically to their descendants. The other side of the debate has shown during many studies that a person’s environment plays a great role in their development. Research has shown that we flourish from an early age with nurturing. The amount of nourishment a person receives also plays a part in their development. A science experiment is done in schools where pupils plant two seeds and grow them under different conditions. Obviously the one that was fed regularly and placed in day light grew. However the one that was kept in the dark and only fed once a day did not grow as well and eventually died. This experiment clearly shows us the end result of nature and nurture interactions. There was once a study
References: Browne, K. (1996) An Introduction to Sociology, First edition, Polity Press Gross, R. (2007) Themes, Issues and Debates in Psychology, 2nd Edition, Hodder & Stoughton. http://www.simplypsychology.org/naturevsnurture.html