Nature vs Nurture Essay: Differences to Consider

Written by | Last modified on:

There are lots of various essays types. Some people get confused with them because they have different purposes and demands. Thus, many students mess up such essays as nature vs nurture essay. Their meaning is actually contrary. Nonetheless, many fellas think that they are close to one another or they were simply written with mistakes.

Defining Nature vs Nurture Essay

To understand both types nature vs nurture essay, you should simply learn their differences. They can be unanswered by simply providing their definitions.

  • A nature essay claims that the development of the humankind is determined by nature.
  • A nurture essay claims that our development is dependent on our environment and experiences.

As you can see, the beliefs are divided and there are two opposite streams. Professors give freedom of choice to their students. They have the full right to choose this or that stream and support the theories they believe in. These viewpoints aren’t that easy to understand. Accordingly, we’ll review each of them separately.

Nature vs Nurture Essay

Nature Essays

People who compose nature essays are called nativists. Students who believe that our mind is dependent on the effects our nature prefer to write this kind of assignments. They are confident that the human species are the products of evolution that occurs naturally. Theories associated with this stream dwell on the genetic code.

There are such vital things as personality traits, which are not obvious at birth. Nonetheless, they emerge later thanks to our maturation. We all have a specific genetic code and it carries our major traits. A biological clock predetermines when we’ll begin to develop and which special talents we’ll have. In other words, we follow a predetermined program that was made up at the moment when the mother becomes pregnant.

People who stick to this theory believe that our genes prevail over any environmental influencers and we cannot be changed by them. No matter where you were born and who raised you, your genes will take charge. Even when a child never sees their real parents, they copy their habits and behavior.

One of the best examples is fraternal twins. Even if they are raised apart, they show quite similar characteristics in all they do and like. They act similarly in the same situations and places. If they are afraid of harsh people, both kids will try to avoid communication with them on the instinctive level. This is a part of our nature to preserve and secure our own life.

Another good example is the hereditary diseases. In the case, somebody out of the family is sick with bipolar disorder the probability that the condition will be inherited by some of the family members multiplies by five. The same goes for other kinds of diseases or behavioral traits.


Nurture Essays

The opposite theory rejects the supremacy of genes over the human mind. Such people are called empiricists and they refuse to believe that our gene code cannot be unchanged. Our behavior and personal development rely on experiences we have and the environment we are raised in. Many people simply hate to think that if parents are criminals, the children will have problems with the law as well.

The human is a sociable creature and people we interact with have a strong and direct influence of who we are. Besides, there is the power of will, which oftentimes steps in front to challenge and conquer habits we inherited and don’t wish to have. We develop as we grow up and learn. Accordingly, our psychological growth is determined by the quality of the way we are brought up.

The followers of this theory explain their beliefs in different ways. One of such is the attachment of infants. The formation of the infant’s attachment is determined by the love, care, and attention a kid receives. The attachment never develops if a child is deprived of these important things. Another good example is the way we learn the language. This is not a genetic code. We learn and comprehend language as a result of mirroring the speech of other people. If you’re born in a German family you won’t speak the German language if you’re raised in an American family. This is a good example of experience and environment.

John Watson is one of the most famous psychologists who stick to this theory. He claimed that if we had a choice among twelve infants, every future adult might become anything. Regardless of national and racial origins, a parent can train his/her child in different ways and receive the result he/she wanted. Thus, the choice doesn’t belong to a child but to people who raise him/her.


Summing Up

As you can see, both theories are popular and we’re quite confident that you also think about them from time to time. These theories have evidence that they are correct, as well as some gaps. For example, many children from criminal families never mimicked their parents and grew up without breaking even a single law. They simply wished to overcome the negative environment and become someone else.

In the meanwhile, genes are very strong. Many children had the same traits as their parents even if they were raised by other people with contrary worldviews. You’re free to choose whatever theory you wish. Possibly, it’s better to unite these theories. The combination of nature and nurture theories is the most reasonable way to overcome confrontation and find useful data to understand who we are.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *