WAYS THAT NATURE AND NURTURE INFLUENCE HUMAN DEVELOPMENT FROM CONCEPTION
INTRODUCTION
Nature is what we think of as pre-wiring and is influenced by genetic inheritance and other biological factors while nurture is generally taken as the influence of external factors after conception i.e. the product of exposure, experience, and learning on an individual. The nature-nurture debate is concerned with the relative contribution that both influences human behavior. (McLeod, 2007) Different branches of psychology often take a one versus the other approach. For example, biological psychology tends to stress the importance of genetics and biological influences while behaviorism, on the other hand, focuses on the impact that the environment has on behavior (Cherry, 2009).
In traditional society most parents encourage their kids to take part in extracurricular activities like learning music, dance or sports in accordance with the child’s talents and interests. The talents have been given by nature but they can only be developed into skills through the hard work of nurture.
WAYS THAT NATURE AND NURTURE INFLUENCE HUMAN DEVELOPMENT FROM CONCEPTION
For some time, we have known that development results from the dynamic interplay of nature and nurture. From conception on, we grow and learn because our biology is programmed to do so and because our social and physical environment provides stimulation. At birth, the human brain is still preparing for full operation. The brain’s neurons exist mostly apart from one another. The brain’s task for the first 3 years is to establish and reinforce connections with other neurons. These connections are formed when impulses are sent and received between neurons. Axons send messages and dendrites receive them.
The phrase “nature and nurture” referred to the expression of two opposite views, one predominately from Charles Darwin’s book “On the Origin of Species” posits that a person’s personality originates in the womb, with genetic and hereditary factors contributing to our primary traits. In a mean while, other scholars, like John Locke believed the human psyche is primarily developed by a person’s environment and surroundings. Besides genetics, heredity, and immediate environment, additional factors like physical traits, cultural and situational atmosphere also potentially contribute to a person’s disposition.
Moreover, the nature-nurture controversy is an age-old dispute among behavioral psychologists, philosophers, theologians, and theorists of consciousness as to the source of the creation of human personality: Does it develop primarily from biology (nature), or from the environments in which we are raised (nurture)?
Some philosophers such as Plato and Descartes suggested that certain things are inborn, or that they occur naturally regardless of environmental influences. Nativists take the position that all or most behaviors and characteristics are the results of inheritance.
Other well-known thinkers such as John Locke believed in what is known as tabula rasa, which suggests that the mind begins as a blank slate. According to this notion, everything that we are and all of our knowledge is determined by our experience.
Empiricists take the position that all or most behaviors and characteristics result from learning. Behaviorism is a good example of a theory rooted in empiricism. The behaviorists believe that all actions and behaviors are the results of conditioning. Theorists such as John B. Watson believed that people could be trained to do and become anything, regardless of their genetic background.
A common explanation of everyday behavior implies that some human activities are excused or expected as instinctual responses to environmental stimuli (Hull 2006). This fixed human nature supposedly makes us innately good or bad, competitive or cooperative, aggressive or peaceful, matriarchal or patriarchal.
In addition, keeping track on this view, Locke claimed that “biological evolution created a human mind that enabled culture evolution, which now outpaces and outclasses the force that birthed it…The human mind is flexible and creative and allows humans to adapt to almost any condition on the Earth and beyond” (Hull 2006) (1). Blank-slate philosophies argue that we use our rationality to identify and negotiate an appropriate land ethic and that we use cultural institutions to instill and enforce this ethic in human agents.
It is important to consider the important role of gene in determining which traits among different individuals, distinguish twins study as interpretation. This is a one of a kind study, a comparison between identical twins reared together who share family environment and genes and compared to fraternal twins reared together who also share family environment but only share half their genes.
By the time individual reaches adulthood, the impact of shared environment on personalities is weak, at best (Stangor 2010). It means although parents must provide a nourishing and stimulating environment for children, no matter how hard they try they are not likely to be able to turn their children into geniuses or into professional athletes, nor will they be able to turn them into criminals. Consequently, the influence of non-shared environment represents whatever is left over after removing the effects of genetics and parents make us different from the other, and often have the largest influence on personality.
Lastly, over the past two decades scientists have made substantial progress in understanding the important role of nature or nurture on forming identical personality. To summary this critical issue this can be concluded that the more we learn about human nature, the more it seems that both nature and nurture determine our potentials. We cannot separate them as pieces of jigsaw games, if nature is more important, then our personalities will form early in our lives and will be difficult to change later. If nurture is more important, however, then our experiences are likely to be particularly important, and we may be able to flexibly alter our personalities over time.
CONCLUSION
It is indeed important to recognize that nature in the form of inherited traits does exist but a person’s overall behavior is influenced a great deal by nurture or upbringing and the environmental factors involved in this upbringing. Several recent studies carried out on infant and child behavior have shown that there is significant evidence to support the fact that nurture strongly influences human development especially in the early years.
However, it is evident that nature is responsible for producing healthy, well-developed babies. It is also nurture that plays an important role in the early stages of human development. Research has concluded beyond doubt that early human development is quicker and more focused due to nurture as it builds up on the talents provided by nature.
REFERENCES
Cherry K A (2009) What is nature versus nurture? http://psychology.about.com/od/nindex/g/nature-nurture.htm.
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Hull, R. Bruce. (2015). “Infinite Nature”. The University of Chicago Press. 2006. Print. May 5.
Itzkovich, S. Judy. (2015). “Nature versus Nurture: Human personality”. Jerusalem Post. Aug, 4.2012. Web. May, 5.
McLeod SA (2007) Nature Nurture in Psychology. www.simplypsychology.org/naturevsnurture.html.
Plotnik, Rod. (2015). “Introduction to Psychology”. San Diego State University. 5th Ed. International Thomson Publishing Inc. 1999. Print. May, 5.
