Nature Vs Nurture Research Paper

“Nurture could have an even greater effect than originally thought, according to a University of Manchester study that is set to shake up the ‘nature versus nurture’ debate” (Phys.com). A long debated question between professions is weather nature or nurture has more effect on the development of a human being. Nature being the genetic one is given through their birth, while nurture is the experiences and environment one is surrounded by throughout life. Although nature does have an affect on a humans development, nurture has a much greater effect.

It is no secret that a person's physical characteristics are affected by their genetic makeup, if not caused by one’s gene. However it is unknown if a person's genes have any effect in their development as a human. Nativists or believers in nature as the defining factor in human development state “we have an inner biological clock that switches characteristics on

and off as one matures” (Mcleod). This clock is different in everyone as all people have a different genetic makeup, this attributes for the differences in the human race. These differences even affect nurture, such as a persons looks or the way they speak, for example in The Absolutely True Story of A Part Time-Indian by Sherman Alexie the antagonist Junior tells the reader that “Do you know what happens to reatards on the rex? We get beat up”. Therefor, due to Juniors genetics his environment is changed and thus affects their development.

Even though genetics may have a small influence on human development, the environment a human develops in or nurture has a much greater result.

Nurture refers to anything that one experiences throughout life. This is important because humans learn through a “change in behavior based on experiences”(Reis). Because humans learn through experiences, this shows that people are not born with their abilities. As Reis stated a person grows through trial and error, for example a baby is not born knowing how to drive a car, or how to act around others, these things one learns by experiencing and changing their behavior based on the response. Another example is in the book The Absolutely True Diary of A Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie Junior believes that he has to fight someone who insults him due to his past experiences on the rez, but that is not always the case in other places that junior has not visited. This process is constantly happening throughout one's life, therefor nurture has a greater effect on human development due to the fact that it constantly

occurs.

Nativists believe that genetics are the driving force behind human development. They believe that throughout life certain metaphorical switches are flipped and a person begins to change and develop (Mcleod). The easiest example of this puberty which most people go through. However new studies have shown that nurture has a greater effect on development (PHYS.com). This is shown not only the through Alexie's book in which Junior changes based on his environment. This is also shown as Reis a Stanford Researcher states that “Humans grow through taught behaviors this results in a direct behavior change”.

In conclusion nature may lay a basis for the development caused by nurture. This then leads to nurture changing the way a person's acts and thinks throughout their life. Due to new studies and research done across universities people have concluded,that even though nature may result in some small changes in ones development nurture is the main driving force.