Nature Vs Nuture

NATURE VERSUS NURTURE
The nature versus nurture debate is one of the most enduring controversies in the fields of
psychology, sociology and philosophy since time immemorial. At the centre of the
debate, there have been arguments on whether inherited genes or the environment
influence and affect our personality, development, behaviour and intelligence. Numerous
generations have deliberated on the reason behind the development of human behaviour.
Many theories have been formulated to explain why humans behave the way they do. The
surviving theories derive their foundation from the physiological and sociological
explanations. However, these views have not always been compatible. The nature versus
nurture debate herein resulted from conflicting views between proponents of the
physiological (nature) and sociological (nurture) explanations.
The history of the nature versus nurture debate dates back a long time ago. It has been
discussed extensively by philosophers in the past. As early as 350BC, such philosophers
as Plato and Aristotle tried to understand human behaviour. Plato believed that behaviour
and knowledge were due to innate factors. He theorized that all knowledge is present at
birth. On the other hand, Aristotle proposed that humans are born with a blank slate –
‘tabula rasa’. According to him, humans were not born with knowledge but acquire it
through experience. His tabula rasa explanation believed that the environment and
experience were the important influences in human behaviour. The above hypotheses laid
the first groundwork on the discussion of this topic.

Nature is those qualities of a person that are deemed genetic. It is a person’s biological
determinism. Nativists assume that the characteristics of the human species as a whole
are simply a product of evolution and each person’s genetic code makes him unique.
Nativists are of the point of view that we have a biological clock that turns certain
behaviours on and off at the appropriate time. They use puberty for instance to support
this claim. Acquisition of language skills by an infant also follows this logical argument.
One of the biggest pieces of supporting evidence for nature over nurture is the fact that
fraternal twins still exhibit similar characteristics even when they are raised apart. Often
times, these twins show behavioural traits that one would assume that they were raised
together in the same place. Famous psychologist Sigmund Freud believed that sexual
orientation was derived from nurture. He developed a theory that at birth till the age of
four, every child is bisexual. He/she then begins to learn to withhold their feelings for
members of the same sex and start expressing feelings to members of the opposite sex.
However, when this idea was actually tested, it did not hold true as many including him
expected it to. Many years after Freud, it has become apparent that nature holds a strong
role in the development of sexual orientation of humans. If nurture isn’t the cause for
sexual orientation then nature must be.
Alternatively to nativists, empiricists believe that the human mind is a blank state at birth
and any characteristics we develop are a result of our experiences and environment. This
point of view nurture takes up speculates that psychological characteristics and our
behavioural tendencies are things we learned during our development. Characteristics of

nurture include environmental variation and external influences. These characteristics are
dependent on such factors such as social status and education and the influence these
factors have on a person’s character. The importance of nurturing is nearly boundless,
and there is no better evidence than the often cited case of identical twins who, despite
identical nuclear genomes and mitochondrial DNA, will duly differ in physique and
behaviour if raised in a different environment. If the concept of nature over nurture holds
true for identical twins, then their development in two different environments would not
affect their behavioural differences. But studies have shown that the more separated twins
are, the greater the difference between their I.Q. scores. If intelligence had been
hereditary, then these identical twins that were reared apart would still have the same
amount of intelligence; yet, they do not.
In my opinion, both nature and nurture uniformly determine a person’s personality and
intelligence. I uphold the idea that nature and nurture are interactive and interrelated, not
independent and additive in their impact on human development. For instance, the
inherent capability of the IQ of an individual is genetically predetermined, but the effects
of environmental factors such as opportunity in education and guidance in learning serve
extremely important considerations in the individual’s final IQ capability. The nature
versus nurture debate has produced many research advances in the area of human
development. Hopefully, more groundbreaking advances will be made to aid humans in
better understanding human behaviour. In the end, that is what both sides of the nature
versus nurture debate intend to accomplish!.

Essay word count: 795 words
Name: Nwokpor Nnaemeka Collins
Country: Nigeria
City: Abakaliki
E-mail: [email protected]
Telephone: (+234)8131220255

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NATURE VERSUS NURTURE

physiological (nature) and sociological (nurture) explanations.

discussed extensively by philosophers in the past. As early as 350BC, such philosophers

the first groundwork on the discussion of this topic.

sexual orientation then nature must be.

behavioural tendencies are things we learned during our development. Characteristics of

factors have on a person’s character. The importance of nurturing is nearly boundless,

amount of intelligence; yet, they do not.

inherent capability of the IQ of an individual is genetically predetermined, but the effects

of environmental factors such as opportunity in education and guidance in learning serve

extremely important considerations in the individual’s final IQ capability. The nature

development. Hopefully, more groundbreaking advances will be made to aid humans in

versus nurture debate intend to accomplish!.

Name: Nwokpor Nnaemeka Collins

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