Human behavior is an innately complex topic involving many different factors, two of which being nature, such as genes and biology, and nurture, such as the environment one was reared in and the circumstances in one’s life. The phrase “Nature versus Nurture” was originally coined by Francis Galton, a Victorian scientist. His preliminary studies involved twins in order to test his hypothesis of whether “inherited traits or the manner and surroundings of their upbringing” (“Nature Versus Nurture”, 2014) were more influential in a humans behavior. Nativists believe “that an individual's unique genetic code influences all aspects of that individual” (“Nature Versus Nurture”, 2014). The opposition to Nativism is Empiricism, which considers “the
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John B. Watson, a behaviorism psychologist once infamously said “Give me a dozen healthy infants, well-formed, and my own specified world to bring them up in and I'll guarantee to take any one at random and train him to become any type of specialist I might select – doctor, lawyer, artist, merchant-chief and, yes, even beggar-man and thief, regardless of his talents, penchants, tendencies, abilities, vocations, and race of his ancestors”. The argument of which factor had more of an impact on one’s behavior has long perplexed scientist and psychologists alike. As research regarding human behavior has been developed much more thoroughly, the argument was more or less settled; it seems as though the Nature versus Nurture debate was based on a question wrongly asked. Both one’s genes and one’s experiences have a large impact on a person’s …show more content…
Some psychological illnesses, such as schizophrenia and depression have evidence in running in families, therefore being attributed to being influenced heavily by biology. It is important take into an account that there is no “depression” or “schizophrenic gene”, only genes that allow for a genetic sensitivity to such mental illnesses. It is also valid to consider even if depression and schizophrenia can be found nowhere in someone’s family lineage, it is still possible for one to be affected with these debilitating mental illnesses. The same is to be said for traumatic life events, such as child abuse. Although child abuse does heighten the probability of mental illness, “among patients with depression…or substance abuse, prevalence of reported childhood physical or sexual abuse runs as high as 70%” (Springer et al., 2003), it in no way condemns a person to struggle with such mental illness in later life. Taking this in to consideration, although some psychological abnormalities are more heavily affected by both one’s biology and past trauma, this mental illnesses are usually a more direct result of one of these
John B. Watson, a behaviorism psychologist once infamously said “Give me a dozen healthy infants, well-formed, and my own specified world to bring them up in and I'll guarantee to take any one at random and train him to become any type of specialist I might select – doctor, lawyer, artist, merchant-chief and, yes, even beggar-man and thief, regardless of his talents, penchants, tendencies, abilities, vocations, and race of his ancestors”. The argument of which factor had more of an impact on one’s behavior has long perplexed scientist and psychologists alike. As research regarding human behavior has been developed much more thoroughly, the argument was more or less settled; it seems as though the Nature versus Nurture debate was based on a question wrongly asked. Both one’s genes and one’s experiences have a large impact on a person’s …show more content…
Some psychological illnesses, such as schizophrenia and depression have evidence in running in families, therefore being attributed to being influenced heavily by biology. It is important take into an account that there is no “depression” or “schizophrenic gene”, only genes that allow for a genetic sensitivity to such mental illnesses. It is also valid to consider even if depression and schizophrenia can be found nowhere in someone’s family lineage, it is still possible for one to be affected with these debilitating mental illnesses. The same is to be said for traumatic life events, such as child abuse. Although child abuse does heighten the probability of mental illness, “among patients with depression…or substance abuse, prevalence of reported childhood physical or sexual abuse runs as high as 70%” (Springer et al., 2003), it in no way condemns a person to struggle with such mental illness in later life. Taking this in to consideration, although some psychological abnormalities are more heavily affected by both one’s biology and past trauma, this mental illnesses are usually a more direct result of one of these