Nature-Nurture Controversy
Nature-Nurture Controversy
Julie Gresham, RN
Western Governors University
Nature-Nurture Controversy
It is a known fact that humans are born with a set of genes. 50% of the genes come from the father and 50% come from the mother. Genes determine your eye color, hair color, blood type, and some hard-wired behaviors to name a few. These descriptions describe “nature” theory.
According to Sincero (2012), “the nurture theory holds that genetic influence over abstract traits that may exist; however, the environmental factors are the real origins of our behavior. This includes the use of conditioning in order to induce a new behavior to a child, or alter an unlikely behavior being shown by the child.” Nurture, therefore, refers to personal experiences and behaviors influenced by the environment.
There have been debates of whether being gay is nature or nurture and whether there is a “gay gene”. Many believe gays are born that way; however, to date no single gene has been identified to support this theory. Others theorize “behavior genes” account for why some people commit crimes, why some people are more aggressive than others. The controversy is whether behaviors are nature vs. nurture.
According to Wikipedia (2014), Psychologist John Watsons stated, “Give me a dozen healthy infants, well-formed, and my own specified world to bring them up in and I'll guarantee to take any one at random and train him to become any type of specialist. I might select a doctor, lawyer, artist, merchant-chief and, yes, even beggar-man and thief, regardless of his talents, penchants, tendencies, abilities, vocations and race of his ancestors".
John Watson coined the term “behaviorism” and believed environmental learning is the dominate side of nature vs. nurture. He believed behaviors can be changed by learning, training or conditioning through responses to environmental stimuli.
In 1920, John Watson in 1920 did a study called the “Little Albert”
Julie Gresham, RN
Western Governors University
Nature-Nurture Controversy
It is a known fact that humans are born with a set of genes. 50% of the genes come from the father and 50% come from the mother. Genes determine your eye color, hair color, blood type, and some hard-wired behaviors to name a few. These descriptions describe “nature” theory.
According to Sincero (2012), “the nurture theory holds that genetic influence over abstract traits that may exist; however, the environmental factors are the real origins of our behavior. This includes the use of conditioning in order to induce a new behavior to a child, or alter an unlikely behavior being shown by the child.” Nurture, therefore, refers to personal experiences and behaviors influenced by the environment.
There have been debates of whether being gay is nature or nurture and whether there is a “gay gene”. Many believe gays are born that way; however, to date no single gene has been identified to support this theory. Others theorize “behavior genes” account for why some people commit crimes, why some people are more aggressive than others. The controversy is whether behaviors are nature vs. nurture.
According to Wikipedia (2014), Psychologist John Watsons stated, “Give me a dozen healthy infants, well-formed, and my own specified world to bring them up in and I'll guarantee to take any one at random and train him to become any type of specialist. I might select a doctor, lawyer, artist, merchant-chief and, yes, even beggar-man and thief, regardless of his talents, penchants, tendencies, abilities, vocations and race of his ancestors".
John Watson coined the term “behaviorism” and believed environmental learning is the dominate side of nature vs. nurture. He believed behaviors can be changed by learning, training or conditioning through responses to environmental stimuli.
In 1920, John Watson in 1920 did a study called the “Little Albert”