The Importance Of Nature Or Nurture

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What does this experiment suggest about the importance of either nurture (a person's experiences) or nature (genetic, or biological tendencies) for causing gender differences? This experiment suggests that, in terms of gender identity, nature is not overwritten by nurture. Dr. Money had the Reimer family raise their son, David Reimer, as a girl. Money did everything within his ability to turn David into a girl, but the experiment ultimately failed. Despite believing he was a girl, David did not fit in with the other girls, he stated that he felt different and never identified as a girl. From a young age, David acted like a boy and played with toys aimed at boys. As he grew up, his appearance also changed to a distinctly masculine one. In addition, …show more content…

Studies have shown that it is not either nature or nurture, but both that affects a person. Genes, testosterone and estrogen, our general biological makeup can make us predisposed to gender roles. Males are generally predisposed to taking more risks and being more aggressive, while women tend to be gentler and less prone to taking risks. As such, the respective sexes generally prefer hobbies and occupations that let those preferences be indulged. For men to be firefighters, professional athletes, or in the military, and for women to be nurses, teachers, and caregivers. However, there is no nurse gene that women possess and firefighter gene that men do. We try to conform to what society wants us to be. If you are a boy, playing with Barbie’s as a child will likely get you bullied. Therefore, to fit in and stop the bullying, you will stop and become fonder of video games and cars as you play with them more. Or, maybe you won’t and will grow up enjoying things girls are supposed to. This could lead to an incongruence between your sex and gender, leading you to become transgendered or transsexual. Ultimately, gender is, by very definition, socially constructed. The Oxford Dictionary defines gender as: “the state of being male or female (typically used with reference to social and cultural differences rather than biological

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