Nature Vs. Nurture Essay

Nature is the influence of the inherited or acquired trait that comes by way of genetics; it is what is born into you by way of your genetic make-up. Likewise, Nurture is a trait that is acquired by way of environmental influences. Both are in conflict, therefore causing much controversy and many a debate throughout the study of psychology. Behaviorist John B. Watson believed that anything can be learned. But, if a child is born of a drug addict, is he genetically predisposed to become a drug addict? This is in part is what some of the long-debated issues have consisted of. Consider alcoholism for example, research does point in the direction of a hereditary link to alcoholism by way of certain gene expressions, meaning the person with a particular gene pull could develop alcoholism. Prenatal
exposure to alcohol can be particularly devastating causing many problems for the fetal alcohol syndrome baby in utero and throughout life plus they are more likely to become an alcoholic’s. Comparatively, what if the child doesn’t develop any problems associated with the mother’s alcoholism, what was different for that particular child that was not for hundreds of others born of the same condition? Biochemistry also shows people react to alcohol differently. Equally important, many factors are involved from where you live, what your religion portrays alcohol as, your parents genetics, how you were raised, your temperament, etc., all portraying nature as well as nurture and therefore, indicating that indeed, both do play a part in whether you might become an alcoholic or not. I like to use the analogy of my mother when it comes to alcoholism; she is thirty-five-years sober, presently.
I have two older sisters and two younger sisters. Eldest sister is an alcoholic, actively drinking and binges occasionally on cocaine/and or other illicit drugs. Second eldest is an alcoholic with over thirty years sobriety. I am the middle child and do not drink, experimented as a young person and found it unappealing. Two youngest siblings do not drink. At age 40 my mother had a son by a different marriage; he’s 23 years my junior, smokes marijuana consistently and drinks rarely but when he does, he gets very drunk and quickly out of control. Mom denies drinking while pregnant with him but isn’t being honest. In conclusion, three out of six children have addictions to alcohol and/or drugs and three do not. Five were raised in same environment. Comparatively, son was raised as an only child in different home at later time frame. Overall, I firmly believe that alcoholism is likely inherited and does begin with the addictive gene pull. Some children will inherit it and some may not, there is no way to predict which. Lastly, for those that appear to present the gene for alcoholism, early education is the key and likely the one real
hope of trying to control it.