Nature vs Nurture: Do Genes Or Environment Matter More?

In an attempt to understand human behavior, professionals for centuries have looked at the nature vs. nurture theory. While it is known that the physical traits such of eye or hair color have to do with nature, some strongly believe that the way people behave such as in personality and intelligence, have to do with genetic makeup and some believe that people behave a certain way solely due to their environment. Professor Jerome Kagan, from Harvard opened up a brand new world and offers hope for those who behave a certain way. He pointed out that two year old Marjorie unlike other children her age started out shy, a tendency he believed she inherited and while it is true that Marjorie cannot change the fact that she is a girl there are certain aspect of her make up that did change due to her environment later in life.

Pediatric psychiatrist, Stanley Greenspan is a strong believer of both nature and nurture playing intricate parts but not independent of each other. Even though one affects the other the saying like father like son is not guarantee true but it is highly possible to activate that inherited gene due to external influences. To pinpoint for instance what temperaments are inherited, scientist at Allegheny University, are hard at work and are looking closely at twins for answers. It is a hard and long process because each gene has to be singled out and look at in conjunction with the environment. Those with the dopamine-4 receptor gene are thrill seeker says Greenspan but can be retrained to behavior otherwise this is accomplished by giving alternative way of meeting their needs. It was clear to Professor Kagan when he studied 500 children for more than 17 years. He even got to the stage where he could detect sig...

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...including my mother remain shy and withdrawn in public.

For the first time I understand my shyness. My mother is extremely shy and so I also carry that gene but a strong outside influence of the activation of that gene was that fact I grew up in an household were I was not allowed to express, speak up or voiced my opinion. I now know that it is highly possible that I inherited my shyness from my mother but is it also possible that I inherited all my negative traits such as my moodiness?

While genes seem powerful due to the fact that physical traits are unchangeable, the environment is like the king of the jungle when it comes to behavior. It is possible to retrain a person to think and behave a certain way. Perfect example of the fetus that shows signs of shyness, parents cannot throw up their hands and say that their children will be shy forever