Nature verses Nurture

568 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Important role of genetics

As soon as a baby is born family members immediately talk about whom the baby looks like. This is the start of Nature and Genetics in full bloom. Even friends and strangers gravitate to this game, when it comes to deciding if the baby takes after the mother or father’s side of the family. Some traits may even come from a grandparent or great-grandparent, such as thick curly hair or blood type. Later, as the baby grows other traits begin to show like, facial expressions and temperament. The baby may show an outgoing, friendly personality like the mother or prefer to quietly sit and observe like the grandfather. In adulthood, a child might coincidently decide to work in a similar career field as the parents, but this also comes from Nature. Many parents encourage their children into a family business, and many just wait to see what the child chooses. It is interesting to see without any encouragement what the child picks. As time goes on more characteristics will reveal themselves (www.parents.com). Nature also has the deciding factor for inheriting good or bad health, as well as any mental conditions. For humans, DNA is Nature’s innate influence. Inherited traits from the family include excellent or terrible eyesight, hearing, and allergies. The child may have a natural ability toward playing music, singing, or painting. Boys may naturally take after their father’s mechanical or carpentry abilities, while girls may show an interest in dance or gymnastics. Nature even plays a part in the types of foods a child likes, such as if the family background is Italian or Mexican usually the child will favor similar foods. Likewise, whatever the mother consumes while expecting more than likely the child will also desire. ... ... middle of paper ... ...heory says, it is nurture, a happy medium says, it is both. Nurture can change nature both positively and negatively. In the end, it is up to the individual to keep the best-inherited characteristics and change the less acceptable ones, but this is not always the case. Works Cited http://discovermagazine.com/2013/may/13-grandmas-experiences-leave-epigenetic-mark-on-your-genes http://www.education.com/reference/article/nature-nurture/?page=3 http://www.faqs.org/health/Healthy-Living-V3/Mental-Health-Nature-vs-nurture-does-biology-or-environment-influence-development.html http://www.habitformingsuccess.com/tag/nature-vs-nurture/ Morris, C.G., Maisto, A.A. (2013). Understanding Psychology. NJ: Upper Saddle River http://www.parents.com/baby/development/behavioral/babys-inherited-behaviors/?page=3 http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/genetic/epigenetics3.htm

Show More
Related

  • Nature and Nurture, not Nature vs. Nurture

    1763 Words  | 4 Pages

    In a study conducted in 1983, researchers studied more than 350 pairs of twins in order to research if human personality traits were largely inherited or learned. Daniel Goleman, author of “Major Personality Study Finds that Traits are Mostly Inherited,” shares with his audience the parameters and results of this elaborate twin study. Goleman introduces his reader to Auke Tellegen, a psychologist and principal researcher on the long-term study, performed at the University of Minnesota, discovered that the human traits most strongly determined by heredity were leadership, obedience to authority, and even traditionalism. He would surely argue that heredity, more than influence of experience, is more responsible for development in human traits. Tellegen may have substantiating facts that nature is more predominant in a mere handful of traits, but what about the several other traits he failed to test? It is possible for a person who shows leadership and obedience during one part of their life to have an experience in which their obedience and leadership is thwarted. The study Tellegen conducted could not have been without environmental influence. Every single one of the participants, whether a twin or not, had environmental experiences separate from the others. Since every person experiences and responds to environmental stimuli differently, how can several prior years of experience be measured in order to present an unbiased result in this study? Unquestionably, it is impossible. Just as this particular study failed to take into consideration a persons’ prior experiences, it also failed to consider the probability of future environmental factors that could affect the traits Tellegen focused on in his study. Although difficu...

    Read More

  • Nature Vs. Depoture: The Debate Over Nature Vs. Nurture

    716 Words  | 2 Pages

    For this debate as you know already, I am totally on the Nurture side. I think kids are born and influenced by the environment. Even though some kids are born and are not influenced by their surroundings, that is usually a rare case. Like all of this, my personality has been changed as I have been just like identical twins have many differences. So with all of this to wrap it up, studies show that Nurture is more dominant and overpowers Nature. When you have children remember how they are raised will affect them in the long

    Read More

  • Nemo Nature Vs Nurture

    369 Words  | 1 Pages

    Have you ever thought about whether the way you are is based on your genetic makeup? Do you believe our environment shapes us into who we are, instead? In the psychology debate of nature versus nurture, I believe that nurture plays a big role in who

    Read More

  • Synthesis Essay On Identity

    570 Words  | 2 Pages

    It is a common argument about whether humans are simply who they are because of genes, the nature of who someone is, or if it’s more due to interactions with outside ideas and actions, the nurture one receives. Different research has claimed both sides,

    Read More

  • Nature Versus Nurture

    862 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the well-received novel “Pudd’nhead Wilson,” Mark Twain skillfully addresses the ancient argument about the origin of one’s character and whether it’s derived from his nature or his surroundings. We can best see this battle between nature versus nurture by inspecting the plot lines that follow the characters Thomas a Becket Driscoll, Valet de Chambre, and Roxana the slave. Thomas was born into a wealthy white family while Roxy birthed Chambers into a life of slavery. It seemed as though each would have gone their separate ways into opposite walks of life, but Roxy secretly swapped the children, which destined each to their counterintuitive fates. Through their words and actions, Tom, Chambers, and Roxy have proven the idea that one’s behaviors and desires are a result of his upbringings and the environment he lives in rather than by his innate nature.

    Read More

  • The Nature Vs. Nurture: Nature Vs. Parents

    1024 Words  | 3 Pages

    For this first analytical essay, I have decided to have a go at analyzing the Nature Vs. Nurture using my own viewpoint as a sibling. No doubt this is a topic that has been debated to mental death already, but I think it is something I will benefit from thinking about. Also, at the end of my main topic, I will quickly address a topic brushed on in the book.

    Read More

  • Nature and Nurture

    585 Words  | 2 Pages

    The quote from the famous psychologist John B. Watson essentially sums up behaviourism. Behaviourism refers to the school of psychology founded by Watson, established on the fact that behaviours can be measured and observed (Watson, 1993). In behaviourism, there is a strong emphasis that the acquisition of learning, or permanent change in behaviour, is by external manifestation. Thus, any individual differences in behaviours observed was more likely due to experiences, and not by the working of genes. As the quote suggest, any individuals can be potentially trained to perform any tasks through the right conditioning. There are two major types of conditioning, classical and operant conditioning (Cacioppo & Freberg, 2012).

    Read More

  • Inheritance: How Our Geness Change Our Lives Change Our Genes, By Sharon Moalem

    1212 Words  | 3 Pages

    Inheritance, by Sharon Moalem, is a nonfiction novel that elaborates on what makes us who we are and why. Moalem states that even before we are born, our genes set up determines our lives. Our genes are adaptable sequences that can be altered by instances of trauma, simple dietary change, or just a small indiscretion. Through our experiences, our genes are changing and consequently limiting us. We have an unwavering predictable matter of the genes we have inherited from previous generations. Our future children could inherit many of our specific genes, good or bad. Even if our inherited

    Read More

  • Nature vs Nurture: Genes vs Environment

    1049 Words  | 3 Pages

    The proponents of the nature side of the nature vs. nurture argument hold the position that we are who we are because of our genetic code. They think that they have isolated genes that determine whether someone is predisposed to alcoholism, smoking, and mental as well as physical illness. In April of 2006, Susan Bergeson and a team of scientists at the University of Texas “found 20 gene candidates that could influence excessive drinking.” (Bryner. 2006) There have also been reports of a gene isolated that even determines the number of cigarettes that a person smokes based on how they metabolize the nicotine. There are those scientists who believe that we act on instinct alone based solely on our genetic makeup. This is a rather dangerous view because it relieves us of the responsibility we must all have for our own actions. Using the reason that one can’t control one’s behavior, they were simply born with a predisposition toward violence could be used as an excuse to commit violent crimes. Although we certainly have some genetic predispositions toward things like hair and eye color, certain diseases, and so on, it is not our genetic code that determines our life path for us.

    Read More

  • Nature vs Nurture: Twin Studies and Adoption

    1969 Words  | 4 Pages

    “The term “nature versus nurture” is used to refer to a long-running scientific debate. The source of debate is the question of which has a greater influence on development: someone's innate characteristics provided by genetics, or someone's environment. In fact, the nature versus nurture debate has been largely termed obsolete by many researchers, because both innate characteristics and environment play a huge role in development, and they often intersect”. (Smith, 2010 p. 1)

    Read More

  • Human Development: Nature vs. Nurture

    1390 Words  | 3 Pages

    “The nature-nurture issue is a perennial one that has resurfaced in current psychiatry as a series of debates on the role that genes (DNA) and environments play in the etiology and pathophysiology of mental disorders” (Schaffner)

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay On Nature Vs Nurture

    1075 Words  | 3 Pages

    One of the hottest debates is and has been nature vs nurture for years, but what is the difference between the two? Nature is what people think of as already having and not being able to change it, in other words, pre-wiring (Sincero). Nurture is the influence of experiences and its environment of external factors (Sincero). Both nature and nurture play important roles in human development. Scientists and researchers are both trying to figure out which is the main cause in development because it is still unknown on which it is. The best position to side with is nature. Nature is also defined as genetic or hormone based behaviors (Agin). Regardless of the involvement in everyday life, or nurture, this argumentation centers around the effect genes have on human personalities. Although it is understandable on reasons to side with nurture, nature is the better stand in this controversy. Reasons to side with nature is because of genes and what genes hold. Genes is what

    Read More

  • Similarities and Differences in Parent and Child Characteristics

    1659 Words  | 4 Pages

    Children are like fingerprints, not one is the same as another. Appearance, personality, and the pace at which we develop are unique to each person. Although individuality is celebrated, new parents are often eager to pick out characteristics of their children that are similar to their own. They may notice their infant has the same vibrant, red hair as his mother or loves reading as much as his father. Such similarities and differences between a parent and a child can be caused by a variety of reasons. In this paper I will explore two broad categories, environmental factors and inherited characteristics, as the basis of these characteristic variations.

    Read More

  • Nature vs. Nurture Essay

    2113 Words  | 5 Pages

    Height, hair color, eye color and sex are just a few examples of ways our DNA has shaped us. But could it be possible that our DNA also effects the way we behave in society. It is possible that genetics effect us is more ways that we may have imagined. Dr. Peter B. Neubaur believes that shyness, eating disorders, obsessive behavior and psychological illness can all be traced back to our genetics. Sexual orientation is also believed to be derived from genes in our body which determine what sexual preference we prefer. Violence and other types of crimes can be linked back throughout a person’s lineage to witness that other family members have been committed similar crimes without ever meeting one and other.

    Read More

  • Difference Between Nature And Nurture In Childhood

    2136 Words  | 5 Pages

    The study of nature development refers to the inherited characteristics and tendencies, these are genetic, and these which are inherited help influence the development through childhood. Some inherited characteristics appear in virtually everyone, For instance, almost all children have the capacity to learn to walk, understand language, imitate others, use simple tools, and draw inferences about how other people view the world. The coding of genes in each cell determine the different traits which we have, more dominantly on the physical attributes like eye colour, hair colour, ear size, height, and other traits. However, it is still not known whether the more abstract attributes

    Read More

More about Nature verses Nurture

Open Document