ipl-logo

Nature Vs Nurture Research Paper

1609 Words7 Pages

The Nature Versus Nurture Debate in Intelligence

The nature versus nurture debate has been playing out for more than two hundred years. Sir. Francis Galton believed intelligence was innate, that we are born with it. John Locke an English philosopher believed that we learn through experience. In his essay, "Concerning Human Understanding", he wrote that a child is born with a blank slate, "tabula rasa", where knowledge is acquired through experience. (Locke J. (1689) Concerning Human Understanding). These contrasting ideas can be seen to go further back in history to that of Greek philosophers Plato and Aristotle. Plato believed, "intellect takes form of the psyche", it is part of nature and therefore biological, while Aristotle believed that, "knowledge was gained through the senses". (Maltby J., Day L., Macaskill A (2013) Personality Individual Difference and Intelligence. Pearson, Pg. 279). In this essay I will talk about what I have researched and give an overview of the nature versus nurture debate …show more content…

They believe that the nature aspect of intelligence refers to the fact we are born with our intellectual quota or component already. That it is inherited from our parents through the gene pool. The earlier an ability is seen it is more likely to be influenced by genes. Characteristics that are not

observable at birth and develop later in life are seen as a product of maturation. That is to say that we have a biological clock that switches on or off behaviour in a pre- programmed way". (Mc Leod S. 2015, Nature vs Nurture in Psychology 8)

On the other side of the debate those who believe in the nature side are called environmentalists. They believe that we are born with as John Locke called it, a blank slate, "tabula rasa" in where we learn from our environment. (Mc Leod S. (2015) Nature vs. Nurture 9). We learn from our parents, siblings our peers and the rest of the world around

Show More
Related

Nature Vs. Nurture In Truman Capote's In Cold Blood

1790 Words | 8 Pages

nurture debate. Yet, he applies his reasoning not in a manner that concludes the prominence of one over the other, but in which Capote ultimately qualifies a murderer (or a mere criminal) as a product of the interaction between his environment as well as his genetics—consequently labeling this a seemingly tragic fate in itself. Amongst the world of psychology, the nature-nurture issue is defined as “the longstanding controversy over the relative contributions that genes and experience make to the development of psychological traits and behaviors,” in which today’s scientific minds see traits and behaviors arising from the simultaneous interaction of both nature and nurture (Myers 9). Rooted and intertwined into essentially every underlying concept and thought-process debated and agreed upon in the psychological sphere, scientists as well as ancient thinkers have long contested the prominence of one’s influence over the other.

Read More

Truman Capote Nature Vs Nurture

796 Words | 4 Pages

Nature vs. nurture is complex theory and has been analyzed through the ages and both play critical roles in determining who and what people become as they

Read More

Nature Vs. Nurture In Margaret Laurence's The Half Husky

1373 Words | 6 Pages

One of the longest and oldest debate in science and psychology is the debate of nature versus nurture. Simply, it is trying to answer the question of where one gets their traits. Some think that it is mostly from their DNA, having predisposed traits. This is the ‘nature side of the argument’. Although others, on the nurture side, believe our traits are based on our experiences, our childhood, and external forces.

Read More

Is Elijah A Hero Or A Villain

1505 Words | 7 Pages

Meaning that regardless of the environment we are born into or the circumstances of our upbringing we are each born with specific ideas or philosophies that we will hold true throughout our life. For example, thoughts of racial superiority would not be a learned trait but rather thoughts that you were born with; one does not become a racist through their environment, rather they are born that way. The British philosophers Thomas Hobbes and John Locke, on the other hand, underlined the role of experience as being the source of behavioral development. Locke held that the human mind at birth is a complete, but receptive blank slate upon which experience imprints

Read More

Mindset By Carol Dweck Summary

1576 Words | 7 Pages

The book first discusses why people differ. Today, most experts agree that it’s not either nature or nurture, or genes or environment. “From conception on there’s a constant give-and-take between the two. An eminent neuroscientist, put it, not only do genes and environment cooperate as we develop, but genes require input from the environment to work properly” (Dweck, 2016 p. 5).Through research scientist are continuing to learn that people have more capacity for lifelong learning and brain development than they ever thought. Each person has a unique genetic endowment. People start with different temperaments and different aptitudes, but experience, training, and personal effort take them the rest of the way.

Read More

Who Is Victor Frankenstein Nature Or Nurture Essay

1986 Words | 8 Pages

What exactly determines human nature? Is it how we were raised in the environment that surrounds us, or does our DNA dictate it the second we are born? Nature vs nurture is the idea of a person’s actions or motives being dictated by either their childhood or past experiences (nurture), vs. actual genetics that they are born with. For example, a person who was raised in an abusive environment and treated poorly may be more susceptible to committing violent crimes or violence in general. This timeless topic has been debated forever, with evidence throughout history.

Read More

Level 2 Health And Social Care Level 3 Unit 2 P1

964 Words | 4 Pages

Nature versus Nurture is an age old debate in Psychology. Nature vs Nurture relates to an individuals behaviour and characteristics and whether they are inherited through their DNA and genes, which can be seen as an innate approach to the debate. This is because innatism believes that the mind is born with all knowledge. Nurture states our behaviour and characteristics are learned through our environment and experiences, This therefore can be seen as empiricist approach as empiricism states that we are born a blank slate and everything we know is learned through our senses. Reproductive behaviour looks at how patterns are established and formed to continue the survival of humanity.

Read More

The Influence Of Nature Vs. Nurture In Frankenstein

825 Words | 4 Pages

Nature is the predetermined traits that people are born with, while nurture is the influence that affects people after they’re born. The debate surrounding Nature V. Nurture is how much of a person’s traits is predetermined and how much is influenced by the environment. Mary Shelley's believes in nurture more than nature. Victor Frankenstein has certain traits that he’s born with. Frankenstein is born into a prestigious, wealthy family.

Read More

Nature And Nurture Research Paper

712 Words | 3 Pages

Some people can say that nature and nurture have somewhat the same meaning, but they don’t, they actually have totally different meanings even though they sound the same. Nature’s meaning is the genes or predisposition of someone, somewhat like the way they were born, and Nurture’s meaning is the socioeconomic status and/or home life, somewhat like the surroundings the people were born with. In both short stories, “The science of success” by David Dobbs and “Money changes the way we think and behave” by Carolyn Gregoire show some type of nature and nurture within their topics.

Read More

Representations Of Ex-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher In The Media

1427 Words | 6 Pages

An investigation into representations of ex-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the media Text A: http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/apr/08/margaret-thatcher-hugo-young Text A is an article from the The Guardian. This title of the article immediately signals to the audience what kind of the opinion Hugo Young, the writer of the article, has on Margaret Thatcher. Text B: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/margaret-thatcher-dead-daily-mirror-1819253 Text B is an article from The Mirror. The title forces The Mirror's view that Thatcher 'broke Britain' on the reader.. This immediately tells the reader The Mirror's opinion on Thatcher and how much they despise her.

Read More

Argument For The Development Of Children: Nature Or Nurture?

1376 Words | 6 Pages

When will the nearly 150 year old debate end? For years there has been an ongoing debate of if a child is impacted more by their genetics, or their environment. This idea of nature versus nurture has been argued immensely by scientists and psychologists over the years, and both parties have come up with convincing arguments for their position on the topic. Although still debated, it is becoming more apparent that maybe it is not nature versus nurture, but how nature and nurture work together in the development of a child. While it is true that both have an impact on the individual, it is clear that certain personality traits are influenced more by the child’s surroundings, and who the child grew up with.

Read More

Persuasive Essay On Nature Vs Nurture

630 Words | 3 Pages

Do you ever wonder how you act the way you do? Nature vs. nurture is a discussion about whether genetics or parenting have a bigger impact on your personality. Both nature and nurture are important in how you act. Identical twins have many differences. There are many ways nurture can affect a kid 's personality.

Read More

Nature Vs Nurture Theory

700 Words | 3 Pages

The nature vs. nurture debate centers on whether human behaviour and personality are inherited (nature) or acquired (nurture); in other words, whether a person’s environment or a person’s genetic inheritance determines their behaviour and personality. Goldsmith and Harman (1994) adopt a neutral position, in which both nature and nurture influence people, stating that they “believe that the fundamental issue concerns the interplay between characteristics of the individual and of the relationship” (54). Goldsmith and Harman discuss temperament and attachment for infant, with temperament being linked to the nature side of the debate and attachment being linked with the nurture side; as a result, the infant’s temperament influences the attachment bond between the infant and the mother, but the attachment bond influences the temperament of the child as well. Therefore, both nature and nurture interact with each other to produce people’s behaviour (Harman et al. 54). Andersen and Berk (1998) take on the nurture perspective, while Leary (1999) claims that nature is the determining factor of a person’s personality.

Read More

Role Of Nurture In Human Development

811 Words | 4 Pages

One of Einstein’s best known saying was that genius is 1% inspiration, and 99% perspiration. Even for a wise man like Einstein nurture is more important than nature. Nurture is important because it helps you learn yourself, decide your view on the world, and changes your nature. It has even greater effect

Read More

Nature And Nurture Influence On Child Development Essay

662 Words | 3 Pages

While nurture is most commonly defined as environment and experiences that we have. Although, nature and nurture plays a big role in child development, nurture seems to be a little bit more of an influence on child development than nature. I believe that children learn by experiences that they have. On one side (nature) of this debate; it says that intrinsic influence such as genetics plays a major

Read More

More about Nature Vs Nurture Research Paper

Related Topics

Open Document