Nature Vs. Nurture Theories Of Early Human Development

In trying to understand human development, scientists for decades have looked at the nature vs. nurture theory. Researchers have argued about whether nature or nurture has a stronger influence on early human development. Nature is inherent traits from birth and nurture is based on one’s environment. This paper will examine this theory while comparing Sigmund Freud and Jean Piaget’s theories on human development. Within the Nature vs. Nurture theories lies five different approaches to human development. The Biological approach focuses on genetic, hormonal, and neurochemical explanations of behavior. Psychoanalysis is the focus on innate drives of sex and aggression (nature), and the social upbringing during childhood (nurture). Cognitive psychology focuses on mental structures such as schemas, perception, memory, and is constantly changing by the environment. Humanism is emphasized by basic human needs. It states that society influences a person’s self-concept. And lastly, behaviorism which states that behavior is learned from the environment through conditioning. The Psychoanalytic theory of human development was
His analysis falls under cognitive theories which suggest that children move through four different stages of mental development by exploring and manipulating their environment. The four stages are: the sensorimotor stage (birth-2 years old) which states that infants think by manipulating the world around them. The preoperational stage (2-7 years old) which states that children use symbols to represent their discoveries. The concrete operational stage (7-11 years old) which states that children’s reasoning becomes more logical and focused. And the formal operational stage (11-adulthood) which states that children develop the ability to think in more abstract ways. Overall, Piaget believed that nature and nurture interact in order to yield cognitive