Historic and Contemporary Nature vs. Nurture Debate

Improved Essays
In this critical essay, I will be discussing the historic and contemporary nature versus nurture (nativist vs empiricist) debate that has been shaped as a discussion on human nature for centuries, even now. In many researchers, scientists and experimenters have argued that it is the crucial role of environment and on the other hand philosophers have argued that it is the biological beginnings, now each side of these have good arguments that make it hard to decide whether a person’s development is because their DNA or it is manipulated by their life experiences and their environment. Nevertheless, we now know that Nature and Nurture play a big role in human development, but not sure whether it is developed because of nature or due to nurture. …show more content…
These kinds of questions are what lead people to the great debate of nature vs. nurture. Now in your understanding if you deliberate that you were with personality already, then you take the side of nature, and if you deliberate that your personality developed based on the influences of childhood then you believe in nurture. It is believed that these two different theories make us who we are. Despite this, the debate continues to be evident in many aspects of the psychological literature. Some have argued that this debate serves as a distraction (Spencer et al., 2009), others argue it offers a rich source of insight (Spelke & Kinzler, 2009), whereas others have proposed “alternatives” (Karmiloff-Smith, …show more content…
This article focuses on to two opposing statements. Spencer argues that any statements of innateness are meaningless. `However, in their debate of their examples they argued that specific claims of innateness are not logically incoherent but false, and they support it with evidence that “children learn to recognize their caregivers, navigate through the environment, and speak their language”, (Spencer et al.’s, 2009). But if learning is a consistent and a useful concept in these fields, then a statement of innateness are also consistent, useful and is compulsory to explain the tools that underlie the basic learning. Spelke & Kinzler (2009) article “Innateness, Learning, and Rationality”, could question Spencer et al.’s specific explanations of development in the above areas, but such a discussion is undermined more radical claim because the nativist- empiricist (nurture) discussion is a meaningless use. Nevertheless, contemporary researchers claim for a new theoretical perspective on the “developmental process”. In contrast, historians of science have posed theoretical perspectives in multiple ways. Firstly they

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Introduction The argument of nature vs. nurture has been one of the oldest and one of the largest controversies on whether our influences come from our genes (nature) or environmental factors (nurture), and how it could affect our behavioral, appearances, development, and our personality. These two play a big role in the human development. This argument will always exist on what is said about the human development. Scientists have not been able to sort this argument out and decide which one rules out the other.…

    • 778 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Nature versus nurture is an ongoing debate concerning the inner apparatuses of individuals minds that in the opinions of many, will never be fully resolved. Are…

    • 1073 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    In recent years, many people involved and aware of the controversy have noticeably decided that the answer to whether people are born a certain way or develop based on their environment is both. Nurture, however, is what determines…

    • 1320 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Superior Essays

    The nurture vs. nature debate is debated by many psychologist and sociologist. The nurture side of the debate is that a person’s traits are formed by the way one is raised. The nature aspect of the debate is that a person is born with and biologically given the traits that determine one’s perspective and personality. The authors of Psychology states that “Research reveals that nature and nurture together shape our development-every step of the way” (Myers 133). In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Victor’s god complex and, though he believes his happiness is based on nurture, he abandons his creature leaving him to develop through nature alone.…

    • 1063 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Jean-Jacques Rousseau stated that “People need a sense of order. Humans are born as blank slates (tabula rasa), which means society can instill proper morality, and thus, a conscience.” Whether genetics or experience is responsible for the way a person behaves, is the basis for the nature versus nurture debate. This argument questions why a person thinks, acts, and functions the way they do. Both nature and nurture play a vital role when it comes to raising a child.…

    • 479 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Over the years, there have been several discussions over people’s actions and the reason why they behave in such a way. For example, is it because of epigenetics or through the experience they endure in their lifetime. This debate has become to be known as nature versus nurture. Nature is the idea that the way humans act is because of their genes and family history. Nurture is the idea that humans act due to their environments and their social interactions (their experiences).…

    • 415 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Nature versus nurture has been a debatable issue since as early as the 17th century in psychology. The issue consists on whether humans are how they are because of their nature or because how they are nurtured during child development. In a 2007 article, McLeod contributes that nature is what humans inherit while nurture is environmental influences. Researches and psychologists who are strong in their position of nature are called nativists. Meanwhile, the researchers and psychologists who agree on nurture are called empiricists (“Nature vs. Nurture, 2007, para.…

    • 1480 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Moreover, the debate of nurture and nature could be applied to my own personal life. My life has been largely influenced by both nature and nurture. My genetics have contributed to my behavior, just as well as my environment has. I think during my earlier years of life my genetics played a larger role, but as I…

    • 828 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Despite the arguments favouring the ‘nature’ debate, it remains a deterministic approach that assumes that psychological traits are predetermined and programmed whilst virtually ignoring non-genetic factors involved in human development. Even when evolutionary psychologists acknowledge the influence of the environment, they reduce its role to that of a trigger of the predetermined developmental instructions supposed to be encoded in a person's genes. Furthermore this essentialist way of thinking creates naturalisms therefore ceasing to require social or political explanation, becoming a constant that can be relied upon and taken for granted. It also asks to question the role of stepfathers or people adopting children that are not their biological…

    • 140 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    One argument that has prevailed throughout time and knowledge is the conflict between nature and nurture. This argument proposes that humans are either products of their genes and inherited traits, or of their environment and social relationships. Although many recognize that both nature and nurture play a role in humankind, this conflict still poses an issue till this day (Moore, 2001). This problem was brought to light during the eighteenth-century, also known as the Age of Enlightenment or Age of Reason. As this period promoted an increase of a well-educated society that emphasized reason, people began to investigate human behavior.…

    • 1347 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Nature verses Nurture Nature and nurture is sometimes looked at as a dichotomy. In this paper I will provide multiple reasons why I do not feel this is accurate. The nature and nurture controversy pertains to whether biology, genes, evolution, etc. (nature) explain ones behavior and development or does ones environment, experience, caregivers, etc.…

    • 1565 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Superior Essays

    At the same end of the spectrum, environmentalists also believe that the environment is the primary influence on a person’s development. Along with John Locke, environmentalists believed “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” (Mcleod n.pg.). When children have unique experiences such as social interactions, exposure to different culture, or education, they grow certain traits from these environments. Children that have valuable environmental support tend to thrive and develop beneficial personality traits. Studies have shown that “environment may play a greater role in development when environmental conditions are extreme rather than…

    • 1398 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Sociology – Unit 2 Assignment Unit 2 Assignment is worth 50 points Assignment - Chapters Three and Four Part I - Discuss the "nature versus nurture" argument and provide support for each aspect of the controversy. “Nature versus nurture” is a concept within psychology whereby the extend of which aspects of behavior is inherited or acquired. Human behavior is largely influenced bu both of these factors when it comes to behavior. There are characteristics that we inherit and others that we develop, depending on or environment and experiences.…

    • 637 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Advocates of the “nature” side argue that individuals are molded fundamentally by hereditary qualities and biology. The “nurture” side contends that our natural impacts and socialization are the most imperative variables in deciding who we are and how we behave. Learned conduct is the result of life encounters, nurture rather than nature. A procured conduct is a sort of quality which cannot be passed on hereditarily; language, religion, and the capacity to read and write are all learned behaviors. Sociologists usually come to the conclusion that a baby’s intellect at birth is like a clear page and all future encounters will influence how the child learns how to act.…

    • 1007 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Nature is the measure of abilities that are present at birth, these abilities can be inherited by genes as well as developed as a person ages. Nurture involves the relation experience has on influencing a person’s actions and shows how behavior is learnt. Together, the Nature-Nurture scheme is created and is used to explain behavior in terms of the influence human nature, and the influence experience both have on our everyday lives. It is unreasonable however, to believe that all behavior can be determined by nature or nurture. Different fields of psychology have their own views on classifying behavior and have developed theories in hopes to explain and better their understanding of behavior and the way it is influenced.…

    • 150 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Improved Essays