Nature vs Nurture

How can children grow up being who they are today? What makes them intelligent, bold or successful? Is it because of their genetics which they have received from their parents since they were born? Or is it the way their parents raised them up? The nature-nurture topic has been debated for a long time among researchers. Today, we know that both “nature” and “nurture” actually have an impact on child development, such as personality trait, psychopathology and cognitive trait. Hence, it is vital for parents to know how they may influence their children both in a direct and indirect way. 

In the 18th century, some psychologists believed that children are not born like a blank slate. They believed that children are born with something in them which is inherited from their parents, such as intelligence, physical appearance, temperament or personality. It is the nature of children which is the hereditary factors and the biological force that may determine who they are. It may be the primary determinants of child development as well. In addition, other attributes such as behavior, mental health and personality are also a consequence of parental genetics. In addition, there is a paper from Minnesota studied between adopted identical twins which were raised in different families and identical twins who raised up together. The results have shown that both groups are similar which means that genetic factors affect psychological differences and general intelligence. However, many psychologists had debated that nature might not be the only factor that shaped children’s life. Nurture might also have a significant influence too. 

Nurture is the way that parents will bring children up and the environment around children, such as surrounding culture and social relationships that may shape who children will become. John Loke, philosopher and physician, created a term “tabula rasa” which means a blank slate. From his point of view, everyone is born like a blank slate and experience will shape the character and interest. John B. Watson, 20th- century psychologist and developmentalist, believed that nurture is everything and nature doesn’t have an effect in shaping one human. His famous experiment named “Little Albert” demonstrated that infants’ fears and other emotional reactions are acquired rather than inborn. In his experiment, he presented a gentle white rat to a 9-month- old infant, called Albert. Albert’s initial reactions were very positive; he crawled towards the rat and played with it. Two months later, Watson tried to make him have a fear response. Every time Albert crawled or played with the white rat, Watson would step behind him and bang a steel rod with a hammer. Finally, Little Albert associated the white rat with the loud noise and came to fear of everything that is furry. Nonetheless, there are many studies suggesting that not only nature but also nurture which play a significant role in children’s behavior and personality. 

In the last decades of studies, it has been shown that nature is inseparable from nurture and that both are sources of human potential and growth as well as risks of dysfunction and 

problematic behavior. It might be possible to imply that the starting point of every child may be positive but shaped by the quality of the environment. Its quality might influence the social, physical, cognitive and emotional interaction with a child and vice versa. This is why attachment and the way parents/ primary caregivers respond to their children plays an integral role in building positive and firm foundations for success in every aspect of their life. Some children may grew up in violent, poverty or abusive families that could be a concern. Seeking out for early interventions programs may also be another option which will promote and support the best outcomes for children who may not have a great starting point. 

In conclusion, it takes both nature and nurture to shape children’s lives. Moreover, it is important for children to be in a supportive environment which will enable them to develop their personality and have their parents who will guide them. Like seeds, you need to let your children grow up in the right environment and nurture them with love, care and dedication in order to have the quality one in the future.

P. Ratnajarn M.A.