NATURE VS NURTURE

Nature vs. Nurture
Elizabeth Barthany
PSY/240
September 29, 2013
Linda Long

The Nature vs. Nurture debate is one of the oldest issues in psychology. The debate centers on the relative contributions of genetic inheritance and environmental factors to human development. Some philosophers suggested that certain things are inborn, or that they simply occur naturally regardless of environmental influences. Other well-known thinkers believed in what is known as tabula rasa, which suggests that the mind begins as a blank slate. According to this idea, everything that we are and all of our knowledge is determined by our experience. I believe it is flawed to ask how much of a particular behavior is due to genetics and how much is due to experience, because there is really no way of telling where a person’s behavior came from. I personally believe that a person’s behavior is determined by both, but more of experience. So therefore, nature and nurture play a role in a person’s behavior. It is appropriate to separate the contributions of genetics and experience when measuring the development of differences among individuals because everyone carries different genes and is also raised differently by their parents or caretakers. Both genes and experience will influence behaviors and the combinations are endless. I believe the Nature vs. Nurture Debate will carry on for many more years to come unless we find a way to measure these differences more efficiently. Even then, I think it would be nearly impossible to achieve this goal.

References
Biopsychology, Eighth Edition, by John P.J. Pinel. Published by Allyn & Bacon. Copyright 2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.

What is Nature vs. Nurture? By Kendra Cherry, about.com Guide. Retrieved from www.psychology.about.com

References: Biopsychology, Eighth Edition, by John P.J. Pinel. Published by Allyn & Bacon. Copyright 2011 by Pearson Education, Inc. What is Nature vs. Nurture? By Kendra Cherry, about.com Guide. Retrieved from www.psychology.about.com