Nature vs. Nurture Essay - 2498 Words

Nature vs. Nurture The dubious history of the heredity environment controversy can be easily traced as far back as the start of the present century with at least some historical evidence placing the roots of this dispute in the time of John Locke. This controversy has continued despite continual reiteration that the critical question is not how much of a trait is due to heredity and how much is due to environment, but rather how environment transact to influence development. ( Wachs , 1983, p. 386). This paper will focus on the nature/nurture controversy and the extent to which an individuals intellectual level is determined either by inborn intelligence or by environmental factors. The relative powers of nature†¦show more content†¦Vermon (1979) concludes that we may attribute 60 percent of the determination of IQ status to heredity, 30 percent to environment and 10 percent tot he combined effects of the two. David Layzers (1976) study indicates that the more relevant a given task is to an individuals specific environmental challenges, the more important are the efface of this interaction. A child grown up in circumstances that provide motivation, reward and opportunity for the acquisition of verbal skills will achieve a higher level of verbal proficiency than his twin reared in an environment hostile to this id of development. According to Layer if two egg twins are reared together we cannot assume the environmental factors are the same for bot h. If one twin has a greater verbal aptitude he will devote more time and effort to this kind of learning than his twin. So test results on verbal proficiency will not reflect genetic difference, only, but differences between the ways in which the genetic endowments of the twins have interacted with their common environment. Longitudinal studies have also found the influence of heredity on intelligence increases with age. Among 500 pairs of twins, identical twins became more and more alike in IQ from infancy to adolescence, while fraternal twins became less alike. The home environment had some impact, butShow MoreRelatedNature Vs Nurture : Is The Nature Or Nurture?1300 Words   |  6 PagesAoS 3: Student Directed Research Investigation Unit 1 Psychology - Megan Rodrigues RESEARCH QUESTION How is the nature vs nurture debate related to a consideration of the mental disorder, schizophrenia? INTRODUCTION Schizophrenia is categorized by thoughts or experiences that seem abnormal with reality, disorganized speech or behaviour and decreased participation in regular daily activities. Difficulty with memory and concentration are sometimes also present. The two hit hypothesis generally refersRead MoreNature Vs Nurture : Nature Or Nurture874 Words   |  4 Pages Nature or Nurture. Nature may be all of the genes and hereditary factors with which influence them to become who they are such as physical appearances and personality characteristics. Nurturing impacts people’s lives as well as how they are raised and all the environmental factors. In combination, these qualities can be the true identity of oneself. Many people may argue that nurture appears to a play huge factor in the two, but others may think otherwise. Not having both as a characteristic canRead MoreNature Vs Nurture : Nature And Nurture1821 Words   |  8 PagesNature and nurture are usually seen as very different things, but they are actually somewhat similar and even integrated. There is a huge debate over which holds more influence over how people develop and whether they behave based on genes or their environment. In Sincero’s article Nature and Nurture Debate she discusses arguments for both sides, saying behavior may be completely in a person’s genes, or it could come from experience and influence. Many people believe â€Å"that the criminal acts, tendencyRead MoreNature And Nurture : Nature Vs. Nurture1780 Words   |  8 PagesAs Nature Made Him: Nature vs. Nurture Human behavior is determined by both biological and environmental factors. Psychologists are interested in learning which of these factors is a greater influence on human behavior and identity. Although psychologists today generally agree that both nature and nurture play a role in conditioning behavior, there is still disagreement about the part that each of the factors have in determining behavior. The nature versus nurture debate focuses around the extentRead MoreNature Vs Nurture : Nature And Nurture1821 Words   |  8 Pages Nature and nurture are usually seen as very different things, but they are actually somewhat similar and even integrated. There is a huge debate over which holds more influence over how people develop and whether they behave based on genes or their environment. In Sincero’s article Nature and Nurture Debate she discusses arguments for both sides, saying behavior may be completely in a person’s genes, or it could come from experience and influe nce. Many people believe â€Å"that the criminal acts, tendencyRead MoreNature Vs. Nurture : Nurture1405 Words   |  6 PagesDecember 2015 Nature vs. Nurture Very few people know that the nature vs. nurture debate actually began early on with famous Greek philosophers such as Plato and Descartes. These two theorized that certain things were inborn and occurred naturally regardless of environmental factors (Cherry 1). Most people began to witness this debate in 1896 when the phrase â€Å"Nature vs. Nurture† was coined by English polymath, Francis Galton (â€Å"Nature vs. Nurture†Origins 1). At this point the nature vs. nurture debate grewRead MoreNature Vs. Nurture : Nurture901 Words   |  4 Pagestime the proverbial nature vs. nurture question has sparked quite a debate. I hold the belief that nature vs. nurture is a zero-sum game. We essentially enter this existence, a lump of clay that needs molding in order to take form. So, I believe my creative abilities can be attributed to the sum of our genetic predisposition, the nurture of our mind, and the dynamic of both nature and nurture, with nurture being the predominant influencing factor. In psychology, nature refers to the inheritedRead MoreNature Vs Nurture And Nurture1777 Words   |  8 Pagesformed and cultivated through nature or nurture. This psychological anomaly is why I am writing this paper. Ever since I have enrolled in, and taken, a psychology class during my junior year, I have questioned whether every little emotion and action is because of nature or nurture. No topic is more widely explored and researched than morality. It cannot be scientifically or psychologically proven or tested, making any claim highly controversial. This idea, of nature vs nurture, that I had previously researchedRead MoreThe Nature Vs. Nurture1463 Words   |  6 PagesT What can we define as Human Nature and Nurture? The Nature vs. Nurture has been a long never ending debate for some time now. Nature vs Nurture has been so profoundly debated, that now it’s unclear whether what makes us who we are and what we do, nature or nurture. For purposes of this essay Nature is going to be defined as characteristics we acquire through our genetic and biological factors, while that Nurture is going to be defined characteristics we acquire through our interactions and influencesRead MoreNature Vs. Nurture : Nature Versus Nurture1337 Words   |  6 PagesNature vs. Nurture There are many different ways that behavior can be explained, especially on the terms of nature vs. nurture. Aggression is a behavior that has been extensively analyzed in a complex manner and the causes of it can be explained many different ways. Aggression can be defined as hostile or destructive behavior that can cause injury or destructive outlook especially when caused by frustration. Nature can be defined as aspects of behavior that have been inherited or are genetic, while