Depression: Nature Vs. Nurture

For years, the nature versus nurture debate has caused a fuss and has been a functioning component in the field of psychology. The debate simply analyses the amount of contribution of certain factors to one’s life. Depression was one of the continuous debates undertaken in the science of psychology for years. According to Rowe (1983), “Depression is as old as the human race, and rare is the person who has not felt its touch”. Furthermore, depression has affected everyone but in different levels. This essay will be illustrating the nature versus nurture views towards depression. The nature versus nurture of depression discusses how it is inherited versus how its transmitted through family patterns or through learning. Due to time constrains,

The nurture view constantly tries to prove the significance of environment. One’s culture, health, or surroundings in general contribute to his development. Seligman (1974) has regarded depression as being expected when one thinks that it is unnecessary to solve negative situations. Therefore, an individual becomes static where he would disregard the environment and be consider self-unconcerned with it. Seligman does an investigation by dogs where a dog is put into a partitioned cage and learns how to escape when the floor is electrified. Restrained dogs, on the other hand, would stop their trials to be rescued. Nevertheless, dogs that deal with inescapable electric shocks fail to do so even after it is achievable. Those dogs correspond to symptoms of depression like humans, inactive in stress situations and lose their appetite. (Seligman, 1972). Such an experiment had given Seligman the advancements to illustrate the conclusions where he explained depression. Depression, according to the theory, comes due to one’s belief that he has no control on what is going around ending to become helpless. Seligman’s theory does explain depression, but to a certain extent. The theory fails to take into consideration one’s thoughts. Also, it fails to identify certain cases like when outcomes are uncontrollable for all or some people. There is no genuine clarification of the amount of helplessness; constant or general. In

Scientists, till today, create theories to doubt the other side. Both sides of the argument have numerous studies to support but are considered inconsistent. Those who support the nature side in depression would rather prove how genes play a role by family, twin, or adoption studies. On the other hand, cognitive processes play a role in the nurture view of depression. The question should be rephrased to the extent in which that study is beneficial in the argument rather which side does it align with. There is much evidence for the causes of depression but not how the different sides fit together. Therefore, research in finding the legitimate, powerful treatment for depression is