The debate over the importance of nature verses the importance of nurture has been going
on since the beginning of modern science. Both sides of the argument have undeniably
good points proving that that influence is more important than the other. Both nature and
nurture are important because they both help in shaping personality. Of course nature can
only go so far, because it is unalterable. The environment around a person, on the other
hand, is ever-changing offering more opportunity for growth and variation.
One cannot deny the effects of genetic makeup and the limits of physical and mental
capabilities. Our heredity plays an important role on our personality. It determines our
abilities and our in-abilities, and how we act according to them. If a child knows they
have a talent in a particular area they are more likely to be outgoing than a child who
doesn’t have a talent. Then again, if a child is confidant in his/her abilities because of
parental encouragement and support s/he is more likely to be outgoing in any atmosphere.
So despite the obvious influence an innate ability has on a child’s extrovertedness, the
parental approval has a bigger influence.
The environment surrounding a person is a very real and important factor in his/her
personality and views. The same baby raised in two different environments will turn into
two extremely different people. Sometimes the environment is downplayed because one
assumes that once a bad seed is born it cannot be changed. People like to blame their
problems on what they cannot control thereby making sure none of the blame lies in
them. Parents often assume there is something wrong with the child that is shy, jealous,
or stubborn. Although we have no proof as to which personality traits are caused by
heredity and which by environment, mostly everything that one is born with can be
changed through the influence of the environment.
Children raised in homes with parents who have a bad relationship often have a difficult
time developing healthy relationships with others. Also children with uncaring or critical
parents often have problems believing in themselves and in their self-worth. They treat
themselves the same way their parents treat them. Other environmental factors include
diseases and financial stability. A smart child will remain smart despite the education s/he
receives but a smart child will be able to make use of his/her full ability with the
opportunities provided by a better, more expensive school. The less smart child will not
even begin to develop his/her abilities in a poor education environment whereas in a
richer learning environment s/he will surpass the smart child with a poor education.
Another reason environment is a more important influence is the lack of real proof
supporting claims of genes for certain characteristics. Studies have been done giving little
proof for the importance of genes and what they cause, but have been over exaggerated to
the point that people take it as actual evidence that genes are the cause of everything.
There is more proof supporting the environment’s effects on people’s development.
Also, the way people’s brains develop is through the relationships and amount of
synapses. These are connections between various parts of the brain that control how we
react and think. We are born with a certain amount and kind of synapses, our instincts. As
we grow and learn we develop new synapses and therefore change the old connections.
This means that what we are born with is very soon out weighed by our experiences and
environment.
Both heredity and environment are important factors in shaping human personality, but
environment is the more important one. Heredity only goes so far; further growth and
development is formed by the environment’s influence on us.
Bibliography:
Berkowitz, Ari. “Our genes, ourselves?”. Appeared originally in BioScience 46(1): 4251 (January 1996), copyright 1996, American Institute of Biological Sciences
(http://serendip. Brynmawr.edu/%7Epgrobste/Berkowitz.html)
Harris, Judith Rich. The Nurture Assumption: Why Children Turn Out the Way They Do
LeDoux, Joseph E. “Nature vs. Nurture; The Pendulum Still Swings With Plenty of
Momentum”. The Chronicle of Higher Education. December 11, 1998
(http://home.att.net/~xchar/tna/ledoux.htm)
Keywords:
debate over importance nature verses importance nurture been going since beginning
modern science both sides argument have undeniably good points proving that that
influence more important than other both nature nurture important because they both help
shaping personality course nature only because unalterable environment around person
other hand ever changing offering more opportunity growth variation cannot deny effects
genetic makeup limits physical mental capabilities heredity plays important role
personality determines abilities abilities according them child knows they have talent
particular area they more likely outgoing than child doesn have talent then again child
confidant abilities because parental encouragement support likely outgoing atmosphere
despite obvious influence innate ability extrovertedness parental approval bigger
influence environment surrounding person very real factor personality views same baby
raised different environments will turn into extremely different people sometimes
environment downplayed assumes that once seed born cannot changed people like blame
their problems what cannot control thereby making sure none blame lies them parents
often assume there something wrong with jealous stubborn although proof which traits
caused heredity which mostly everything born with changed through children raised
homes with parents relationship often difficult time developing healthy relationships
others also children uncaring critical parents often problems believing themselves their
self worth treat themselves same their treat them other environmental factors include
diseases financial stability smart will remain smart despite education receives smart will
able make full ability opportunities provided better expensive school less even begin
develop poor education whereas richer learning surpass poor education another reason
lack real proof supporting claims genes certain characteristics studies been done giving
little proof importance genes what cause been over exaggerated point people take actual
evidence genes cause everything there supporting effects development also brains
develop through relationships amount synapses these connections between various parts
brain control react think born certain amount kind synapses instincts grow learn develop
synapses therefore change connections this means what very soon weighed experiences
heredity factors shaping human only goes further growth development formed
bibliography berkowitz ourselves appeared originally bioscience january copyright
american institute biological sciences http serendip brynmawr epgrobste berkowitz html
harris judith rich nurture assumption children turn ledoux joseph pendulum still swings
plenty momentum chronicle higher december http home xchar ledoux
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