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Nurture Plus Nature Essay, Research Paper

Nurture Plus Nature

Raegan Robb

Psych101

Dec.9th 1996

The classic debated topic of nurture versus nature has been, and always

will be an argumentative subject in the scientific world. Some psychologists and

scientists share the view that our behavioral aspects originate only from the

environmental factors of our upbringing. While other opposing specialists argue

the outlook in science that agrees with the naturalist idea. This concept of

naturalistic ideas supports the hereditary genetic framework, inherited from our

parents, is the sole determining factor in our behavioral characteristics. These

two opposing viewpoints have produced a multitude of ideas, theories, and

arguments in the history of psychology.

John Broadus Watson, the father of American behaviorism, greatly

reinforced the source of nurture by studying learned and adaptive behavior

patterns in our environmental surroundings (Rathus p.13). During this same time

of revolutionary ideas in psychology, American psychologist, Arnold Gesell

supported the opposite views of Watson. Gesell theorized that “physical and

motor growth and development is monitored and regulated by an automatic natural

process”(Rathus p.13). Each of these ideas has persisted strongly in the world

of psychology from the nineteenth century on into the twentieth, but now a new

and united psychology world acknowledges both theories equally. It is imagined,

today, that the explanation of our behavioral characteristics originates from

both our heredity, and the environment in which we were raised.

This report supports the theory that both aspects of nurture, with the

addition of nature are involved in and explain our complete behaviors. Many

studies and experiments have been conducted in recent years of psychology to

give this combined idea its appealing thesis. A great deal of research and

experimentation has been conducted in order to solve the puzzling results that

derive from situational differences in being raised. The different causes and

effects of various situations, focus on the actual importance, and necessity of

proper nurturing in childhood development (Turecki). Studies on the early

developing years in children show how effects of various environmental

situations can cause mixed attitudes, personalities, beliefs, sexual preference,

and other behavioral patterns in children (Turecki & Adams).

For example, studies have been conducted on whether children that have

been raised by single parents are going to develop differently than if both

natural parenting members were present through a child’s infancy and adolescents.

There are also cases being studied about step parenting, or entirely different

parenting with the process of adoption. With a shocking change of one or both

parents in any stage of life, attitudes, and reactions are apt to become altered

with a new lifestyle. Also with step or adopted parents, entirely different

siblings could possibly become added to the family structure, altering the

environments of all affected children. Psychologists have found that, although

various situational differences can be traumatic in a child’s life, the

influence of the upbringing environment doesn’t overshadow the hereditary

source of behavior (Rathus p.112).

Extreme concern has also risen about the effects of such traumatic

childhood events and genetical characteristics on sexual orientation. The

subject of gay or lesbian parenting is also a major concern not only in

psychology, but for many people around the world. Psychologists wonder if the

affects of this erratic situational difference will result in a inner-conflict

between a child’s hereditary instincts and environmental behavior. Although the

factors of genetics may have a small deciding component to sexual orientation,

psychologist John Money, concluded that “sexual orientation is not under the

direct governance of chromosomes and genes” (Rathus p.367-368). Children from

these conditions have usually been found to acquire a more admissible attitude

towards homosexuals through this altered environmental upbringing. However,

children raised in these same conditions may, or may not display homosexual

tendencies determined by both genetic factors and environmental experiences.

In other exceptions, children often develop problems even though their

environment seems to be entirely common. Psychologists have come to question

the quality of the relationship between parent and sibling, and also the raising

and discipline methods. Take the example of a naughty or extremely hyperactive

young boy raising hell, and throwing tantrums out in public. When we witness

children in this category, we often automatically think, “Why doesn’t his mother

control him?” We assume that the cause of his behavior problems can be found in

his environment, possibly poor parenting techniques. This false assumption,

however, may be an unfair judgment upon actual quality parenting. Recent

researchers have shown that children may be born with a variety of personality

characteristics which can lead to behavioral problems, and are not related to

poor parenting techniques (Turecki).

Psychologist and twin researcher David Rowe stated that “Parents should

be blamed less for kids who have problems and take less credit

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