'The Sports Gene' By David Epstein

How much of what happens in our lives do we actually control? This is a question that mankind has been pondering for thousands of years. There are two different articles that could answer the question. David Epstein, the author of “The Sports Gene”, writes about a true story of fate, in which an amateur high jumper makes it to the top due to his god-given gift of a large Achille’s tendon. Malcom Gladwell argues in his piece, “Outliers,” that success depends on one’s willingness to practice or try again. Using extensive research and solid evidence, Malcom Gladwell creates a better argument that success is a result of hard work and dedication, and therefore better answers the question, “How much of what happens in our lives do we actually control?”

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.

In The Sports Gene, David Epstein compares two high jumpers and their success, arguing that physical ability is the leading cause of an individual's success. David Epstein uses Donald Thomas as an example to support his claim by comparing his success to Stefan Holm. Donald Thomas was an inexperienced high jumper who had an incredible amount of success leading him to participate and eventually win the 2007 World Championships. Stefan Holm was the reigning Olympic champion of the high jump which used discipline and many years of practice to achieve success but was defeated by a neophyte. Epstein provides information about studies conducted on

In fact, there is a high probability that there isn’t one at all (4). More than likely, there is a group of genes that interact with each other in just the right way to produce a high-level unique athlete (4).

Experts argue about whether or not we have control over our lives. They question if destiny is determined by fate or by choices we make in our life. Two authors both take their sides on this topic producing evidence to support their claim. David Epstein author of The Sports Gene and Malcolm Gladwell author of Outliers: Story of Success both make an argument on how much we control in our lives in which they take different sides. David Epstein wrote about a track and field athlete who had incredible jumping ability despite never practicing high jumping. Malcolm Gladwell talks about how violinists were never able to float through musical school without putting in the practice hours. They each support their side with

If we look at epigenetics it tells us how nature vs nurture interacts cohesively. In chapter three of Discovering Psychology, the Science of The Mind it states that “Epigenetics refers to the field of reversible development of traits by facts that determines how the genes perform.” (John T. Cacioppo and Laura A. Freberg, 2014 p. 73). With that being said, we know that our genes play a role

The way a child learns to develop a motor skill can depend on various factors. For example, a child’s ability to jump can be influenced by genetics and by nature. People might argue that genetics are more important in determining how high the child will be able to jump. While others might argue that jumping is mainly determined by how you teach and train a child to jump. This is an example of the nature versus nurture debate. Although genes may play a role in developing a child’s skills. This paper will discuss how nurture has more of an influence on how a child’s motor skills develop than nature. The main focus will be how nurture plays a greater role in developing skills such as writing, running, and writing. Nurtures influence on these skills will show how genetics are not as important in the development of motor skills.

“The Sports Gene” is a good example of what we control in our lives because it tells us how a kid

On the other hand, the set of talent and role that is refined through time, concern that a person live out while completely doing away with the unpredictable of hereditary characteristics. Therefore, a person invests their time and effort into something that they are good at even if it is not in their lineage. For this reason, when a person is born with certain distinctiveness and even though their nurture may have influences on their personalities to change or be improved, their genes encompass a large influence on how they will live their life. Children may see their friend cheat on a test at school but will not do the same, because they now it wrong because of punishment indirect or direct learning from their parents (Benokraitis, 2010). For this, “one strategy is longitudinal research in which children's initial characteristics can be observed to change over time in relation to specific parenting experiences” (Collins, Maccoby, Steinberg, Hetherington & Bornstein, 2000, p. 223).

The hereditary influences that affect our human development come from predisposed genetically transmitted roots. These factors such as a person 's weight, appearance, height, and muscular composition are not influenced by any external sources. These genetic factors can play a part in how a person feels about them self during their life.

What makes a good athlete? What separates a person on the 1st line up from a bench warmer? Where does athleticism come from? Is it from our genes, or is it a product of the environment we live in? These are the types of questions that arise in the nature vs. nurture debate pertaining about athletic ability. In 1582, British educator, Richard Mulcaster wrote that
''Nature makes the boy toward, nurture sees him forward,'' he gave the world
a euphonious name for an opposition that has been debated ever since; Nature and Nurture. People's
beliefs about the roles of heredity and environment affect their opinions on an
astonishing range of topics including sports. The nature versus nurture debate not only exists in the sporting community but also in many others. It is a very controversial topic that has puzzled researchers for centuries. There are two sides to the debate; Nature and Nurture. To be on the side on nature one believes that DNA and heredity make us who we are. In the case of sports, an athlete is born with genes that give them the ability to excel in a certain sport. On the other hand, many people believe that we become who we are because of the environment and people around us; Nurture. A nurtured athlete is an individual that has developed elite skills over time caused by rigorous training and their surroundings. Nature or nurture, which contributes more to the creation of professional athletes?

The idea that our genetic code controls most aspects of our lives is arguable. Nowadays, scientists (cell biologists, neuroscientists, etc.) are uncovering concrete evidence that are genetic code is only one of the many complex system of the human body that sways our lives. According to one new study, (“Do

Final ThoughtsClearly, genetics have an enormous influence on how a child develops. However, it is important to remember that genetics are just one piece of the intricate puzzle that makes up a child's life. Environmental variables, including parenting, culture, education and social relationships also play a vital role.

It has been argued that if genes influence behaviour and character, and we cannot choose our genes, then our behaviour is outside our control and we are not responsible. However, we take the view that genes are not deterministic, and that there is scope for an

In earlier days sports psychology was mostly concerned with developing assessment methods that would identify those people with the potential to become serious superior athletes. Today the focus is on psychological training, exercises that strengthen the mental skills that will help athletic performances on the path to excellence. These skills include mental imagery and focus training. If an athlete is serious about becoming the best he or she can possibly be, the most essential ingredient is commitment to practice the right things. It takes incredible commitment to reach the top: a commitment to rest and train the body so it can perform under the most demanding conditions and a commitment to train the mind to