Nature vs. nurture is a highly debated topic, it can be argued that humans are influenced primarily by biological and genetic factors, however, nurture contradicts this. This statement can be proven through decades of research throughout the vast social sciences, including anthropology, psychology, and sociology. Evidence such as case studies and work from prominent social scientists as well as their approaches, theories, and discoveries can verify these claims. In regards to anthropology, nurture can be validated through the mistreatment of the First Nations people throughout the centuries, and anthropologist Franz Boas’ theories. In psychology, the case study of Genie Wiley in conjunction with the 8 stages of development theory can also be …show more content…
It is known for its countless sub-fields, which can make it both easier and more difficult to verify this claim. However, when the mistreatment of the First Nations peoples is taken into account, it clearly demonstrates how nurture can negatively affect an environment. Throughout the centuries, First Nations peoples have been subjected to an endless amount of maltreatment and oppression. After they were colonized during the 17th century, they were affected physically, mentally, and spiritually in a multitude of ways. They have suffered from cultural alienation, systematic discrimination, and many more unimaginable horrors beyond our knowledge as time passes. This maltreatment has led to generational trauma down the line, which ties back into the subject matter. Most First Nations people are now forced to cope with the trauma they have, whether it is first hand or second hand. It has led to members of indigenous families suffering from mental and physical problems, suicide ideation, and relationship problems within the family. These results have nothing to do with a genetic or biological predisposition, this is what occurs when people are nurtured in a horrible environment and are treated inequitably for generations. Franz Boas, who is named as the “father of American anthropology” has done years of research to support claims such as these. He stated how nurture determines behaviour, and that cultural relativism should be carefully …show more content…
The approaches and theories derived from psychology have unquestionably had the greatest impact on modern psychology and health. Understanding the human brain over the decades has allowed psychologists to fully grasp how significant environmental factors can play a role in development. This is apparent through different case studies and research, like the Genie Wiley case. Genie Wiley was a 13 year old girl who had been discovered in her family home after being confined in her room for her whole life. She was forced into isolation in her dark bedroom and was restrained by her father from everybody, including her mother and brother. Genie was only the size of a 6 year old when she was found, and apparently behaved like she was “raised by a pack of wolves”. In addition, she had never been taught to speak, so she could only babble. This case study clearly shows how significant the early stages of human life are to shaping the rest of your future. Genie’s trauma was so far-reaching that she was unable to fully develop cognitively. However, she did manage to learn a few words which may demonstrate that it is not impossible for learning to happen in the later stages of life, but is instead best to be taught as a child since people and being surrounded by different environments has a major impact. This can be
Although the Canadian government has done a great deal to repair the injustices inflicted on the First Nations people of Canada, legislation is no where near where it needs to be to ensure future protection of aboriginal rights in the nation. An examination of the documents that comprise the Canadian Constitution and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms reveal that there is very little in the supreme legal documents of the nation that protect aboriginal rights. When compared with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples it is clear that the Canadian Constitution does not acknowledge numerous provisions regarding indigenous people that the UN resolution has included. The most important of these provisions is the explicit recognition of First Nations rights to their traditional lands, which have a deep societal meaning for aboriginal groups. Several issues must be discussed to understand the complex and intimate relationship all aboriginal societies have with the earth. Exploration into the effects that the absence of these rights has had the Cree of the Eastern James Bay area, will provide a more thorough understanding of the depth of the issue. Overall, the unique cultural relationship First Nations people of Canada have with Mother Earth needs to be incorporated into the documents of the Canadian Constitution to ensure the preservation and protection of Canadian First Nations cultural and heritage rights.s
Nature versus Nurture has been a topic debated in all kinds of settings all over the world.
The nature vs. nurture controversy is an age old question in the scientific and psychological world with both camps having evidence to support their theories. The controversy lies in which is more influential in the development of human beings. While there is no definitive answer for this, it is interesting to look at each of them separately.
“The term “nature versus nurture” is used to refer to a long-running scientific debate. The source of debate is the question of which has a greater influence on development: someone's innate characteristics provided by genetics, or someone's environment. In fact, the nature versus nurture debate has been largely termed obsolete by many researchers, because both innate characteristics and environment play a huge role in development, and they often intersect”. (Smith, 2010 p. 1)
This article shows the history of Indigenous women in Canada and the specific laws during various periods of the history of Canada that influenced the health issues in Indigenous women. The article introduces the laws of Indigenous society prior to colonization, in which women and men were seen as equals, which is necessary to maintain the health and survival of the community. The Indigenous women were considered sacred because of their ability to create new life, and their ability to make decisions on economic and social aspects. With the colonization and the imposition of European laws and traditions, Indigenous women did not possess legal status or social origin, which caused them to become dependent on their father and husbands. The article cites that this situation began during the fur trade, where Europeans refused to deal with women for sale or trade.
The nature vs. nurture debate: the nature side, are those such as biologists, psychologists and others in the natural sciences, argue that behavioral traits can be explained by genetics. Those taking the nurture side are sociologists and others in the social sciences, they argue that human behavior is learned and shaped through social interaction. This argument should be dismissed because you don’t have to look far to see that both genetics and our environment, plays a role in who we are and our behaviors. (Glass). The point is there is a complex relationship between nature and nurture, either one alone is insufficient to explain what makes us human. (Colt). Our heredity gives us a basic potential,...
On the other side of the argument, the nurture proponents are certain that the environment in which we are raised holds far greater sway with the people we become. This argument can even be traced back to biblica...
As one looks back to times when hardships fell on First Nations in respect to education, treaties, and the justice system what you will find written in this essay is a comparison to what was then and what is now.
The result of this trauma has been the key to many social problems for Native Americans. These include alcoholism, drug abuse, domestic violence, sexual abuse, and suicide. Now, some of these can be attributed to genetics, however the root of these in most cases is inter-generational
Greatness is not something that you are born with; it is something that you obtain. Many people have the power to be great. The simplest way to define how a person is great is by what they did. People who are of significant importance or are outstanding are great because they are known for their contributions. For instance, Edgar Allan Poe is a great man. He is a great and amazing individual for how he had contributed to literature. He is vastly known for his literature and poems that have lived for many years after he pasted. He was an awesome critic, so much so that people would ask him to revise their work whether it be poetry, a novel they had been working on, or any written piece of work. Poe is considered great because if it weren’t for him, our world would be without detective genre. Edgar Allan Poe can be looked at as great through his work, the life he lived, and how he died.
Nurture is constituted by the influence of millions of complex environmental factors that form a child's character. Advocators of nature do not believe that character is predetermined by genes, but formed over time. Although often separated, nature and nurture work together in human development. The human conscience is neither innate from birth or entirely shaped through experience, instead, genetics and environmental influences combine to form human behavior, character, and personality traits that constantly change and develop throughout life. The debate on nature versus nurture has existed for thousands of years.
In 1874, Francis Galton said, “Nature is all that a man brings with him into the world; nurture is every influence that affects him after his birth”. The human body contains millions upon millions of cells and each of these cells contains hereditary information and DNA. However, there is no proof that the information carried in these genes predetermines the way in which we behave. I believe it is our life experiences and what we see and are told that shape the way in which we behave. Therefore, it appears to me that nurturing plays a far more governing and dominant role in a human being’s development rather than nature.
In attempt to understand individuals, psychologists debate whether nature or nurture accounts for human abilities and capacities. The term “nature” refers to the characteristics and abilities that derive from genetics, such as eye color. The term “nurture” indicates the abilities and capacities we acquire from society and the environment around us – the things we learn. Both nature and nurture influence how humans behave and function. Determining where the qualities and characteristics derive from will help us understand and assist the subject we desire to learn about.
The nature versus nurture debate is an old issue within the field of psychology. “The nature-nurture issue is a perennial one that has resurfaced in current psychiatry as a series of debates on the role that genes (DNA) and environments play in the etiology and pathophysiology of mental disorders” (Schaffner) The debate is essentially about what is inherited (nature) and what is experienced by environmental factors (nurture) and how they affect human development. Naturally, the nature versus nurture debate relates to many controversies such as intelligence, gender identities, violent behaviors, and sexual orientation. There are countless studies on whether intelligence is an inherited trait or if it is influenced by environmental factors.
Throughout the history of human existence, there have always been questions that have plagued man for centuries. Some of these questions are “what is the meaning of life” and “which came first, the chicken or the egg”. Within the past 400 years a new question has surfaced which takes our minds to much further levels. The question asked is whether nature or nurture has more of an impact on the growing development of people. It is a fact that a combination of nature and nurture play important roles in how humans behave socially. However, I believe that nature has a more domineering role in the development of how people behave in society with regards to sexual orientation, crimes and violence and mental disorders.