An obstacle in the middle of developmental psychology’s advancement has stumped psychologists for many decades. Psychologists from all over the spectrum have argued this question, but with particular interest from those with a nativist view in which “certain kinds of knowledge are innate or inborn” (Schacter 5) and nurturists which believe that rearing is stronger than innate characteristics. The nature and nurture discussion has been prevalent for many years in history and has had its share of debates for decades from renowned scientists like Rene Descartes, an early explorer of the human brain (Lecture), and John B. Watson, founder of the behaviorist school of thought (Lecture). More recently, however the deliberation has been illustrated in the case of Bruce Reimer. Bruce Reimer was born with an identical twin, Brian Reimer, on August 22, 1965 in Winnipeg, Canada to parents Ron and Janet Reimer. Despite being born slightly premature, they were healthy baby boys. At eight months of age the boys’ mother noticed they had difficulty urinating. This complication was diagnosed as phimosis, a condition where the “foreskins seemed to be sealing up at the tip and making it difficult...to pass water” (Colapinto 10). To treat the condition, the …show more content…
Ron and Janet Reimer were notified of the incident and any possibilities of restoration. Despite not having a positive outlook, the Canadian doctors recommended the Reimers visit one of the major American medical centers where all they were offered was “that Bruce have an artificial phallus constructed [which] required multiple surgeries through childhood, and the cosmetic and functional results were not promising” (Colapinto 16). The young Reimers were stuck at in a state of desperation for the first two years of their kids lives until their “small black-and-white TV” (Colapinto) provided them with news changing the Reimer’s
1. It seems to me that if our variables in the nature vs. nurture controversy are a) biological and b) environmental, then twins would, in theory, illuminate the biological variable since we can assume that a set of identical twins will be the same biologically. It also seems to me that this assumption may be false, but if it is correct then looking at twins that were raised apart will give some good data on the nurture variable. If the twins are raised apart, did they develop the same level of intelligence or not. Which brings us to number 2.
Black Like Me is an incredible journey into what life was like in the Deep South during the late 1950s. John Griffin performed a social experiment to see what was life really like for blacks in the Southern States. John Griffin transformed himself into a black man and recorded his experiences into a book, Black Like Me. I was fascinated that 1950s science and medicine had advanced enough to allow someone to change the pigment of their skin. The procedure that Griffin underwent was simply taking pills and exposing himself to ultra violet rays (6).
In the 1800’s and early 1900’s, gawking at people who were not so normal were considered family entertainment and socially acceptable. Those who were born with physical deformities were exhibited in circus side shows or freak shows where they were presented as “Freaks of Natures”. They drew in a large amount of crowds by overly exaggerating their abnormalities by presenting enticing and exciting performances. These freak shows would entice crowds with their lurid banners and overly exaggerated descriptions of the unusual and one of a kind performers. These shows were made up of many different people who were considered as freaks.
The biological theory focusses on the matter that children’s behavioral and emotional responses change as a direct result of particular environmental stimuli (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2010). For example, George was taken from a jungle and then raised in a home where he is treated and acts like a child. This is an instance of nature versus nurture. Naturally, and biologically George is a monkey. If he stayed in the jungle and didn’t come into contact with a human filled environment, he would still act like a monkey.
I work at Sonora Regional Medical Center and this week, I have been working at a pediatric clinic and I have learned certain things about circumcisions and when it should be performed on a baby boy. A circumcision is the surgical removal of the foreskin and, on infants, it is performed within the first few day after birth. It has been found by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), that the benefits of a circumcisions in newborns, outweigh the risks of it, but when the boys age more, it does not necessarily need to be done unless there is a medical reason to do so. There are many benefits to a circumcision including a reduced risk of urinary tract infections, a reduced risk of sexually transmitted diseases in men, reduced risk of penile
Although some inherent distinctions between the sexes exist, Orenstein mentions Eliot’s findings on neuroplasticity to suggest that nurture supersedes nature in determining a child’s behavior. A child is most impressionable during the earliest stages of life, when his or her brain is still developing. That is why learning various concepts such as language, for example, is most easily acquired before the age of puberty. Thus, an individual’s upbringing is fundamental in the development of traits and therefore, gender
One of the most debated topics throughout the world is nature versus nurture. When psychologists debate this topic, they are studying what influences a person’s personal development. Some say that a person’s nature influences personal development while others say a person’s nurture influences personal development. A lot of people spend time contemplating which one actually does the influencing but what some do not realize is that, perhaps, both nature and nurture help shape a person’s personal development. One topic that comes up quite often is whether or not a person is born a criminal.
Early Childhood Education: Theoretical Perspectives Abstract Studies confirm that high-quality education early in a child’s life leads to continued success in school, at work, and results in a healthier well-rounded student who is emotionally and socially strong. In most early childhood programs and schools, technology will be part of the learning background of the future. To make sure this new technology is used effectively, we must confirm that teachers are fully trained and supported. In this paper, theoretical perspectives of child development are discussed with the basic elements of learning program.
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.
The main aim of this assignment is to find out the strength and weakness, similarities and differences between the different approaches of psychology such as biological approach, behavioural approach and psychodynamic approach. I have chosen mental illness to evaluate these approach. The biological, behavioural and psychodynamic approaches of psychology are connected to the nature and nurture argument. The biological approach highly talks about nature side of the argument and states that all behaviour is biological and is treatable.
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.
One of the “three most important issues” in psychological development is nature and nurture. This issue involves the extent to which development is influenced by nature and by nurture. Nature refers to biology, where as nurture refers to environmental experiences. I grew up with my dad being in the military, which meant that respect and order were a constant in our house. I attended one of
According to his theory, individuals are born without built-in knowledge. Everybody learns through experience, perception and parental guidance. One answer to providing more effective circumstances to children could be a much more self-critical, reflective and differentiated strategies of instruction developed through meaningful observations, noticing and recognizing what is important, influencing and significant to the child and about the child, and reacting in a supportive way. This kind of healthy interaction between individual child’s genes and the environmental context in which they develop would mean a good initial start. Moreover, chances of positive pathways in life seem to be enhanced by heredity vulnerabilities and complex behaviors.
Nature and Nurture Influences on Child Development Karla White ECE 205: Introduction to Child Development Instructor: Alesia Lane October 2, 2017 Nature and Nurture Influences on Child Development Describe the relationship between nature versus nurture. The nature vs. nature debate is the scientific, cultural, and philosophical debate about whether human culture, behavior, and personality are caused primarily by nature or nurture. Nature is often defined in this debate as genetic or hormone-based behaviors. Our genes determine the different traits that we have, such as eye color, hair, ear size, height and other traits.
Thesis: Human development has been regarded as one of the most highly controversial topics in the world. This debate is labeled nature versus nurture. The controversy centers on the premise that our personality, behavior, intelligence, and feelings are either genetically inherited, or environmentally earned; that we are innate creatures born with our personalities, or that they are learned by experiences and time. We are born with our personalities, but our behaviors are learned through experience and shaped thru time. Barbara Latten: "I think that inherently we are who we are.