Nature and nurture are two different types of major influences on development. They both play a role in child development. According to Groark, McCarthy, & Kirk (2014), nature versus nurture is another way of phrasing the debate over whether our heredity or the environment contribute more heavily to who we become (Sec. 1.3). Child development is the center of the issue where nature versus nurture becomes controversial. This paper will describe the relationship between nature and nurture, explain the biological, environmental, societal, and cultural influences on child development in relation to nature and nurture, and discuss the most influence on child development.
Over the years there have been plenty of research between nature and nurture. The biological approach of nature focuses on genetics while nurture focuses on learned characteristics. We inherit our parent’s intelligence, preferences, and genes which are related to personality traits. Nature is the genes and hereditary factors such as facial appearance, eye color, skin color, and hair type. Almost all children have the ability to learn to walk, understand language, imitate others, use simple tools, and draw inferences about how other people view the world is part of our nature. Nurture is our environment.
It determines our behavior through life experiences. It’s how we are raised by our parents, the city we grow up in, and our religious beliefs. Genes and environment work together. In the video “Nature vs. Nurture in Child Development” Shirael Pollack states that children are born with some traits and characteristics while they learn others (Pollack, S. n.d.
). Nurture is what they are taught or what they learn from the people around them such as manners like learning to say, “yes sir” and “yes ma’am”. Child Development Influences There are different influences on child development in relation to nature and nurture. These influences are biological, environmental, societal, and cultural. Nature is responsible for the biological influences.
Biological influences are traits that are passed parents to their children. They include appearance, talents, and abilities, and also certain illnesses (Groark, C., McCarthy, S. & Kirk, A., 2014).
Nurture is responsible for environmental influences. The environments that children are exposed to and what they experience growing up. No matter what type of influence there is on child development it is either related to nature or nurture. The cultural and societal influences can be direct and indirect impacts of culture, race, and ethnicity as well as the powerful effects of economics, gender roles, marriage, divorce, single parenthood, and religion (Groark, C.
, McCarthy, S. & Kirk, A., 2014)
