...2015 The nature versus nurture debate has lasted for centuries because of the difficulty of separating genetic and environmental factors in human beings. Psychologists have been debating for years and years if genetics or your surroundings are more important in determining your personalities. It is truly fascinating to stop and ask your self some questions. What makes me shy or brave? What makes me smart and what makes me lack common sense? What makes me the way I am? Is it the way I was born and the genetics I have or is it because of the environment I grew up around and the behaviors I caught on to? Just thinking about all the questions you can stop and ask yourself about why you are the way you are can give you some idea as to why nature versus nurture is still such a big debate today. The coding in each of our cells determines the different traits that we are going to have, more dominantly like the eye color, hair color, ear size and height. “However, it is still not known weather the more abstract attributes like personality, intelligence, sexual orientation, likes and dislikes are gene coded in our DNA, too”(explorable.com). One of the hottest issues that people like to bring up today regarding looking at the nature theory is the gay issue. People like the say that there is an actual “gay gene” that exists and that gay people are born that way. Another issue that we face today would be the “behavioral gene”. Criminal acts, divorce, and even aggressive behavior are all caused...
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...Impact of Nature and Nurture on Human Life Name School September 24, 2013 Introduction Most educated people have probably heard of the terms nature and nurture before. The thing most people do not realize is how big an impact each of these makes on all of us. This paper will discuss the impact that nature and nurture have on human development. Nature and nurture are two words used to describe the development of humans. There has been an on going debate in psychology to whether heredity or the environment most impacts human psychological development. Many believe that they go hand in hand because one affects the other. Nature is a word used to describe the genes given to each child by their parents. Nurture is described as how children are affected by their surrounding environment. This paper will discuss the topics of how development may be different depending on where you live, the effect of nature and nurture on stress, behavioral genetics, give a summary of the points and then a conclusion. Environment Ones environment impacts nurture. The type of environment one is in can include anything from what type of house to what city, and even what country is lived in. A person who grew up in a big city will have a very different nurture than someone who grew up in the Amish lifestyle. Not that one or the other is better; they are just completely different environments. An article by Carol McNamara explains how a combination of nature and nurture are how humans develop...
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...Many people are curious to know what controls a human beings sexual orientation. There has been an ongoing debate about nature versus nurture and its connection to human sexual orientation. The are also other influences that has an affect on sexual differentiation and gender idenity. This paper will explain the interaction between hormones and behavior, and how these interactions affect the the determination of gender identiy. The sexual behavior of humans are shaped and influenced by cultural factors that leads human sexuality to be expressed in various ways through many cultures historically. The biological factors in sexual differentiation are very important to the human because it allows a person to grasp and understand the complexities and problems that are involved in human sexual conditions. The premature stages of sexual differentiation after birth are influenced by environmental factors. Once the child advance from childhood and into young adulthood the influences of biological, environmetal, and culture has an effect on sexual differentiation. According to Ault and Brzuzy (2009), gender identity is a multifaceted system of ideas surrounding masculinity and femininity, in terms of the roles prescribed to men and women by society, and how they relate to maleness and femaleness in relation to the self. Gender identity is presented through behavioral expressions of masculinity and femininity, feelings surrounding the body as a sexual, and individual perceptions...
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...Gender Identity Ryan Boyd PSY/340 February 28, 2013 Felicia Martin Gender Identity Many people are curious to know what controls a human beings sexual orientation. There has been an ongoing debate about nature versus nurture and its connection to human sexual orientation. There are also other influences that have an effect on sexual differentiation and gender identity. This paper will explain the interaction between hormones and behavior, and how these interactions affect the determination of gender identity. The sexual behavior of humans are shaped and influenced by cultural factors that lead human sexuality to be expressed in various ways through many cultures historically. The biological factors in sexual differentiation are very important to the human because it allows a person to grasp and understand the complexities and problems that are involved in human sexual conditions. The premature stages of sexual differentiation after birth are influenced by environmental factors. Once the child advance from childhood and into young adulthood the influences of biological, environmental, and culture has an effect on sexual differentiation. According to Ault and Brzuzy (2009), gender identity is a multifaceted system of ideas surrounding masculinity and femininity, in terms of the roles prescribed to men and women by society, and how they relate to maleness and femaleness in relation to the self. Gender identity is presented through behavioral expressions of masculinity...
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...Running head: NATURE VS. NURTURE/CULTURE The Ongoing Debate of Nature vs. Nurture/Culture Psychology 3520 Social Psychology Abstract In compiling information from our class text and a variety of journals in the Capella library, I have come up with some interest notions on the age old controversy of nature vs. nurture. Biologists declare nature as an innate trait given to all human being (e.g., reflexes and primary needs). Which makes us consider, is this all there is to human development? Is there something else at work? Are there other factors that play a key role in our development? At this turn we must consider nurture/culture. We as human beings are born into societies with all sorts of set norms, social structures and attitudes that manipulate the way in which we develop. The question we will be looking at is which one of these, nature or nurture has the most significant role in our overall development. Or is there yet still something else to add to the pot. Some say there are dimensions that intersect and work in conjunction with one another to form who we are as humans being. Viktor Frankl (1967) noted that the person lives in three interpenetrating dimensions: soma (the physical body), psyche (the emotions and intellect), and the noëtic (the soul). The noëtic dimension includes free will, responsibility, choice, spirituality, and the unique meaning capacity of Homo sapiens. Is it time to reinvent the wheel: Nature, Nurture and Noetic? Introduction The...
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...similarities and differences among people, and then use that information to unify humanity as well as distinguish us as individuals (Berger, 2011). The most important aspect of developmental science is to understand that people change over time. According to Berger (2001), “Change is systematic, ongoing, and dynamic throughout the entire life span.” Explain the life span perspective of development. According to Paul and Margret Baltes, life-span perspective views human development as multidirectional, multicontextual, multicultural, multidisciplinary, and plastic. Development is considered multidirectional because change occurs in all directions, in every part of life. Human characteristics can increase, decrease, or remain the same (Berger, 2011). Development is also multicontextual. It can occur in many different physical and social environments. We develop, regardless of where we are or who we are with. Development is also multicultural. It occurs across all cultures. Development is also multidisciplinary. Human development throughout the entire life span is a immense topic. According to Berger (2011), “Scientists often specialize, studying one phenomenon in one species within one domain at one age, using the methods and strategies of their particular discipline.”...
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...It has long been debated upon whether identity is caused by genes, or environment. Are personality, development, behavior, intelligence and ability genetically predispositioned? Or does it stem from life experience and upbringing? While there is no definitive answer to this interminable question, It is widely agreed upon that both nature and nurture cooperate together in the exponential growth of our identity. Nature is defined as “the range of human behaviors that is believed to be innate rather than learned.” (What Does "Nature Versus Nurture" Mean?, 2014) People who take this extreme heredity stance are known as nativists. Their basic assumption is that the characteristics of the human species as a whole are a product of evolution. Each person’s unique genetic code determines individual differences. Simple things like eye color, stature and freckles can be attributed to the construction of your genes. But they also help explain why someone is gay or straight, or religious or not....
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...they use what is psychology that is now considered the scientific study of behavior and the mental process. Basically without psychology and its studies how would you know how the mind works? Because it isn’t something that can be seen with the eye or examined by touch. So with psychology they have all kinds of ways to test and research the mind. Some psychological perspectives that explain human behavior are: behavioral, cognitive, humanistic, and psychodynamic. Behavioral view emphasizes the study of observable behavior and the effects of learning; stresses the influence of external rewards and punishments; neutral, scientific, somewhat mechanistic view of human nature. Cognitive view Concerned with thinking, knowing, perception, understanding, memory, decision making, and judgment; explains behavior in terms of information processing; neutral, somewhat computer-like view of human nature. Humanistic view Focuses on subjective, conscious experience, human problems, potentials, and ideals; emphasizes self-image and self-actualization to explain behavior; positive, philosophical view of human nature. And psychodynamic view Emphasizes internal impulses, desires, and conflicts—especially those that are unconscious; views behavior as the result of clashing forces within personality; somewhat negative, pessimistic view of human nature. The environment, the genes, and the personal choice all shape human behavior for each and every person. But the amount of influence each of these factors...
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...fairly little to do with people's personalities but rather it is our surroundings, culture, and traditions that shape who we are. According to Saul McLeod, author of "Nature Nurture in psychology from Simply Psychology, "At the other end of the spectrum are the environmentalists – also known as empiricists (not to be confused with the other empirical / scientific approach). Their basic assumption is that at birth the human mind is a tabula rasa (a blank slate) and that this is gradually “filled” as a result of experience." Other people for nurture believe our childhood and experiences are the only thing that determines how well each individual deals with social situations. In the article "Taking the 'vs.' out of nature vs. nurture" the author, Alana Snibbe, states how culture is a big part of nurture and who we are. Culture is humans way of answering life's unanswerable questions and it's this that shapes a lot about how we think and our individual psychology. People who believe in the same things are probably going to think alike and act alike. Obviously, there are some very extreme cases where nature is taken out of the debate all together and nurture is the sole factor to why someone behaves the way they do. Some examples are an abusive parent, being abandoned or neglected and always being in someone's shadow. These situations have a much bigger effect on humans than any genes. On...
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...What made you into who you are today? For years psychologist have debated nature vs.nurture, something that has a great influence on a persons behaviour. Nature is a genetic material while nurture refers to the experiences you've had. In Truman Capote "In Cold Blood" Capote expresses that both nature and nurture play a role in a persons life. Richard "Dick" Hickock was a star athlete and a successful student. While Perry Smith has had a very traumatic life from moving, suffering from abuse, etc. What made these two very opposite people, come together to commit one awful crime? Smith had a terrible upbringing. Starting with parents that didn't get along, a mother who abandoned her family, and sister who committed suicide. Capote goes into full...
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...Epigentics vs Nature vs Nurture Santina Wood ENG101 Argosy University 03/4/2014 Instructor Benjamin Atkins Epigenetics -vs- Nature -vs- Nurture The nature vs nurture debate is still ongoing, and within this debate, the world of science and psychology are faced with two new questions. Today we find some researchers asking; "Is development predetermined at birth, by hereditary factors, or do experience and other environ -mental factors affect it?", and "Can the two work together in shaping human development and behavior?" Developmental psychologists still attempt to find the answers to these questions in order to discover the sources of growth in children's cognitive, language, and social skills. Most developmental psychologists believe that nature and nurture combine to influence biological factors playing a stronger role in some aspects, such as physical development, and environmental factors playing a stronger role in others, such as moral development. They are also beginning to acknowledge the role of a variable combination of both inborn factors and social experiences when explaining children's behavior. Scientists and Psychologists have a name for such an occurrence; epigenetics/epigenesis. In this essay, I will be presenting to my audience information on this highly, and sometimes heated debate, as well as the reasons as to why the belief of this dual influence called epigenetics is becoming more fact than theory. For...
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...Nature vs. Nurture - Twin Studies Eimy Ramirez PSY304 Prof. Reed April 11, 2015 Abstract The exponential growth of scientific and biological knowledge over time has facilitated the genesis of fields of specialization, namely biological determinism, sociobiology and eugenics, just to mention a few. The common thread between these fields is their proponents collectively postulate that all human traits, including weight, strength, intelligence, aspects of personality such as temperament (aggression for example), criminality and morality, are ultimately determined by the information encoded in DNA. They espouse that "we are who we are" because of our genes solely; that biodiversity in man is ultimately precipitated by phenotypic variations, caused by purely genetic differences, amongst individuals, therefore ostensibly offering little or no gravity to non-genetic factors. Non-genetic factors, generically labelled as the environment, encompass not only the physical, chemical and biological criterion, but also the numerous social and psychological ones that shape our lives as we grow and mature. Can we seriously take the influence of the environment, an intangible but nonetheless powerful force we experience every single day, out of the equation? Are we really who we are simply because our genes deem it so? What happens when you examine twins who have the same genes but were raised in different environments? Nature versus Nurture For years, the...
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...personality characteristics and to explain how personality develops. As psychologists seek to define personality, a theory of personality is developed. This research paper examines six major tenants that are fundamental to the development of a personality theory. First, research is provided to explore the tenants of nature versus nurture, the unconscious, and view of self. These tenants build the basis under a broad area of foundations of personality. Second, research is provided to examine the tenants of development, motivation, and maturation. As these tenants are studied, a view on the progression of personality is developed. A third aspect of this research is an investigation into Biblical principles of developing a personality theory. To explore the six major tenants of a personality theory, this research paper analyzes scholarly journal articles and scholarly books published from 2007 to 2014. The findings of this research are valuable in developing a theory of personality that includes important Biblical integration. A Theory of Personality How is a theory of personality developed? Psychologists have long studied the development of human personality. The debate of “What influences the things people do and do not do?" has been ongoing since the psychoanalytic theory of Sigmund Freud. Personality theorists seek to describe personality characteristics and to explain how personality develops. Through personality research, a number of theories have developed...
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...Life Span Perspective Babette Marcia Harwell- Taylor PSY/375 January 14, 2013 Shaun-Katherine Robles Life Span Perspective Life span development is the physical and cognitive changes that occur throughout a person’s life. A life span perspective is an approach to the study of human development that takes into account all phases of life, not just childhood or adulthood (Berger, 2011). This paper will discuss the life span perspective of development, summarize two theories of life span development and give explanation to how heredity (nature) and the environment (nurture) interact to produce individual differences in development. The life span perspective encircles the length of a person’s span of life. It then considers the wide range of conditions while making observations along the way. It is depended upon observing and experimenting. The life span perspective views human development in five characteristics: multidirectional, multi-contextual, multicultural, multidisciplinary, and plastic (Berger, 2011). The multidirectional characteristic is the multiple ways in which human characteristics change over time – increasing, decreasing, or holding steady; in a line (linear), a curve (curvilinear), or up and down (zigzag) (Berger, 2011). The multidirectional characteristic enables researchers to recognize that gains and losses often occur simultaneously. According to Berger, every change – going to college, getting married or divorced, moving to another location,...
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...Introduction to Personality What is it that makes us who we are? We are all of the same species, similar in so many ways, yet different in our thought patterns, behaviors, and personality. Are we born with genetic predeterminations that make our personality what it is, or do environmental and social interactions help to shape and develop us from infancy through adulthood? There is not one determining factor that shapes personality; rather it is genetic, environmental, social, and cultural. There has been and continues to be much research on the psychology of personality. There are many theories that point to the cause of personality development. Personality is classified as a documented set of traits and characteristics an individual has that influence such things as behavior, emotions, cognitive processes, and self-motivation. Personality can also interlace with a person’s thought patterns, feelings, morals, values, and attitude towards certain things. However, there is not one sole definition of personality in the field of psychology. The psychological study of personality has a long history that includes a wide variety of different theories, methods of origin, continued development, and analysis. The psychological study of human personality is based on the principle that all human beings are in some ways similar, yet possess many differences as well. Personality based theories aim to understand what it is that makes us; similar as well as different. Over...
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