Examine the evidence and views of sociologist on the nature verses nurture debate
Examine the evidence and views of sociologist on the nature verses nurture debate.
Sociologist and scientist have argued for many years over whether our behaviour is biologically determined, in our genes or whether it is socially constructed, we learn it. This is known as nature verses nurture. No one knows which one actually dictates our behaviour or if it is a combination of nature and nurture, yet sociologist would argue that 99% of our behaviour is socially constructed, is learnt throughout our lives.
If our behaviour is biologically determined, can an individual be held responsible for their actions? It is easy to accept the idea of physical characteristics such as speed, agility and strength have a genetic component; as fast dogs are bred from fast parents. Yet it is not as easy to come to terms with our personality and the choices we make in life being in our genes, evidence to back this up would be the case story of the ‘Jim Twins’. Jim Lewis and Jim Springer were identical twins that were separated within the first year of their lives to later be reunited at the age of 39 by Thomas Bouchard, the professor of psychology at Minnesota University. Once coming face to face with each other they discovered they shared a number of coincidences about their lives although they led different lives apart, they seemed to share a lot of traits. Such as, they both married a lady names Linda to then both be divorced, both marrying again to another lady named Betty then Sandy as well as both having a son both called James Allan/Alan. This wasn’t all, they also both owned a dog names toy an spend their holidays on a small beach in Florida. The odds of two men sharing a love for something isn’t that big so isn’t that surprising but to share more than one the likely hood increases; both men drove a Chevrolet and were both heavy drinkers and smokers the odds of being all three were half a million to one against two men sharing those habits by chance around that time,
Sociologist and scientist have argued for many years over whether our behaviour is biologically determined, in our genes or whether it is socially constructed, we learn it. This is known as nature verses nurture. No one knows which one actually dictates our behaviour or if it is a combination of nature and nurture, yet sociologist would argue that 99% of our behaviour is socially constructed, is learnt throughout our lives.
If our behaviour is biologically determined, can an individual be held responsible for their actions? It is easy to accept the idea of physical characteristics such as speed, agility and strength have a genetic component; as fast dogs are bred from fast parents. Yet it is not as easy to come to terms with our personality and the choices we make in life being in our genes, evidence to back this up would be the case story of the ‘Jim Twins’. Jim Lewis and Jim Springer were identical twins that were separated within the first year of their lives to later be reunited at the age of 39 by Thomas Bouchard, the professor of psychology at Minnesota University. Once coming face to face with each other they discovered they shared a number of coincidences about their lives although they led different lives apart, they seemed to share a lot of traits. Such as, they both married a lady names Linda to then both be divorced, both marrying again to another lady named Betty then Sandy as well as both having a son both called James Allan/Alan. This wasn’t all, they also both owned a dog names toy an spend their holidays on a small beach in Florida. The odds of two men sharing a love for something isn’t that big so isn’t that surprising but to share more than one the likely hood increases; both men drove a Chevrolet and were both heavy drinkers and smokers the odds of being all three were half a million to one against two men sharing those habits by chance around that time,