Nature vs. Nurture: A Biblical Perspective

One of the oldest debates in the history of Psychology is about Nature versus Nurture. Today, we know that both play a significant role in human’s life. Some people believe that it is genes which affects our way of life and some people believes that it is none other but our environment that greatly influences our lifestyle and some believe that both has tremendous impact on one’s way of life. Indeed in certain cases both our nature (our genes) and our environment roughly play an equal role in human life.

Throughout the history of human existence, there have always been many questions that have plagued man for centuries. Some of these questions are “what is the meaning of life” or “which came first, the chicken or the egg.” Within the last 400 years a new question has surfaced and has caused an enormous controversy which takes our minds to much further levels. The controversy is whether inherited genes or the environment influences and affects our personality, intelligence, behavior, development and abilities. This controversy is most often recognized as the “Nature vs. Nurture” conflict. Some people believe that it is strictly genes that affect our ways of live and how we are, while others believe that it is the environment that affects

nurture debate is deeply connected to the extent in which genetics plays a role in or can explain criminal behavior. The nature vs. nurture debate is one of the most debated arguments in psychology. This debate is concerned with whether a person's development is predisposed in their DNA and genetics (nature), or if it is mostly influenced by life experiences and environment (nurture). Nature can be looked at as the pre-wiring of and individual in which an individual’s traits and behavior have come only or mostly from their genetics or DNA. On the other hand, nurture is not influenced by genetic inheritance and biological factors. Nurture is taken as the influence of external factors. These external factors might include life experiences, or influence from parents or from society and surroundings. Decades ago, twin studies used to be almost the only way to compare the influence of genes and the influence of environment on personality and behavior. However, psychologists have recently determined that it is unwise and slightly misleading to have the debate of “nature vs. nurture”. This is because genes combine with the environment to produce complex human traits and behaviors. It is not a matter of whether nature or nurture is responsible for behavioral traits; rather it is a matter of how much of each contribute to behavioral traits. Although it has been concluded by many that both nature and nurture influence behavior, psychologists are still not satisfied to

Human Nature is something you are born to have, but these natures are not always meant to adhere you for the rest of your life. As one grows up, distinctive ways of nurturing determines what kind of a person one would be in the future. Socrates believed that nurture tends to impact an individual’s behavior more than nature, and I agree with him. As an individual grows up family, peers, and living environments remodels who they are.

When examining human development, the universal idea of conflict between nature and nurture often arises. The argument presented by the “Nature vs Nurture” debate is extremely controversial and has been discussed and critiqued for decades. “Nurture” is cited as being a combination of elements from one’s environment and experiences that shapes a person and their life, whereas “Nature” is cited as being a combination of genetic and hereditary aspects that dictates who a person is and will become. The controversy surrounding the argument most directly stems from the differences of views on whether or not nature or nurture affects a person’s life more. Historians, scientists, psychologists, and everyday philosophers have all studied this uncertainty, and many of whom have developed countless theories. Among these is the

In psychology, it has long been debated whether nature or nurture influence human behaviours more extensively. This has captured the interest of many psychologists as determining an answer can improve society. For instance, if it is proven that nurture significantly impacts human development greater than nature, we can nurture children to abstain from violence and drugs, resulting in a decrease of crime in society. Nurture refers to the environmental factors and thus the experiences and upbringing of people were studied to see how it affected their development. For example, the Zimbardo Prison Study, Harlow’s Monkey Experiments, and Genie are all exceptional examples of how nurture affects cognitive development and behaviors. Conversely, nature refers to the genetic factors that affect human development. To support this argument that genetics play a more significant role in human behaviours and development, psychologists focused on studying siblings and children. More specifically, The Boy With No Penis, the Jim siblings, and Sandra Scarr’s observations were studied to further understand the heritability of certain behavioral traits and the undeterring quality of nature. By examining these experiments and studies, a possible answer can be reached.

On the other side of the debate, people will argue that a person’s environment causes them to act a certain way” (Access Jesus). This debate is a closed discussion that not only does not allow for the fact that both nature and nurture are a part of each other and combined influence a person, but also excludes the reasoning that God Himself shapes people and has a plan for them that does not include the human nature to sin. Christianity and God are very important in contributing to nature, nurture, and how a person develops overall, but even simple wildlife can show that to nurture is actually part of a natural

Through history, the idea of nature vs. nurture has been a hotly debated issue. Nature, or genetics is often believed to be the most important aspect of a persons’ upbringing, as nature is something intrinsic to any one person. However, many debate that nurture, or the care and encouragement of any human life, trumps nature. The earliest evidence and rebuttals of these theories have been honed and developed over time by specific psychologists and educational theorists – all who hoped to prove their own ideas as fact at one time in history.

There is a debate occurring in the world of psychology revolving around the way people’s behavior is based on either nature or nurture. Both of these, again, deal with psychology and are both aspects of behavior that are products by one of two realms. One being inherited through genetics and the other

The nature vs. nurture debate has been a long and bloody battle for the longest time for psychologists. Some believe that we are the products of our environment, meaning that we become who we are as a result of our upbringing, social influences, and schooling among other factors. On the other hand, the naturists believe that outside influences have nothing to do with how we turn out; it all depends on our genes. One psychologist, however, has made the attempt to bridge these two sides together. Robert Plomin’s work in genetics and psychology has helped people understand the roles the environment and genetics play in areas such as education, behavior, and development.

The significance of nature and nurture has been a prolonged debate that has caused quite a controversy and the discoveries made on this topic have made harder to determine which side is the most crucial. Multiple experiments and research studies have been conducted to prove one is better or stronger than the other and they continue to be conducted. As a species, human beings inherited DNA from our ancestors, but what impacts our actions the most is our environment. The predetermined genes are impactful, but it is what one makes of it that shapes oneself. The path is driven by the human being. The way we carry ourselves out is affected by the choices we make, but the way we have evolved mentally comes from the nurturing of our caretakers.

In the nurture side of the debate we believe that genes have nothing to do with the child's behaviour and it is all in the choices the kid makes. I was told of a specific case in the Nature versus Nurture debate, in the studies a set of twins with an alcoholic mother that could care less about her children and a father that was hardly around. One twin grew up to be an amazing mother and go on a completely different path then he was taught when he was younger, the other twin followed exactly in the footsteps of his mother. By gathering this research we can conclude that it is all in the child’s choices and how that child would like to live the rest of his or her life.

The basic elements of the nature-nurture controversy, debates the genetic or environmental effects of IQ, personality and behavioral differences in humans. Nature describes an inherited trait, otherwise known as the genes, containing the genetic code for each individual born. These genes contribute the physical characteristics, for example: eye color, skin pigmentation, hair texture, blood type, longevity, etc. Genes impose certain diseases, such as Huntington 's Chorea, Breast Cancer, Down Syndrome, and many more. Nurture describes an influence on the individual by the surrounding environment. This surrounding environment includes: parenting, culture, learned experiences, nutrition, exposure to toxins, pollutants and medications. In summary, scholars have been in debate for years over the issue determining the development of an individual from birth to an adult. Are issue of IQ, personality and behavior, inborn or are they learned? Or is it both? The nature-nurture controversy continues still today (McLeod, S. A. (2007).

I chose this topic because there is an issue of homophobia around the world. I find it interesting as to why people are homosexual, and if there is a gene responsible for this or if it can be developed later in

‘Nature v. Nurture’ is the psychological term that questions whether genetic factors or environmental factors affect human psychological development more. This short essay will cover three main topics. What does ‘nature vs. nurture’ mean? The discussion of ‘nature vs. nurture’ classifications. Also, the controversy of ‘nature vs. nurture’.