human nature as related to a psychological phenomena

And the basketball player might have eaten a diet while growing up that promoted his genetic tendency for being tall. In fact, even the great violinist might have some inborn qualities-perfect pitch, or long, nimble fingers-that support and reward her hard work. The problem is, most human characteristics aren’t usually as clear-cut as height or instrument-mastery, affirming our nature–nurture expectations strongly one way or the other. While we may admire the athletic skills of a great basketball player, we think of his height as simply a gift, a payoff in the “genetic lottery.” For the same reason, no one blames a short person for his height or someone’s congenital disability on poor decisions: To state the obvious, it’s “not their fault.” But we do praise the concert violinist (and perhaps her parents and teachers as well) for her dedication, just as we condemn cheaters, slackers, and bullies for their bad behavior. In the history of psychology, no other question has caused so much controversy and offense: We are so concerned with nature–nurture because our very sense of moral character seems to depend on it.

Nurture DebateĪre you the way you are because you were born that way, or because of the way you were raised? Do your genetics and biology dictate your personality and behavior, or is it your environment and how you were raised? These questions are central to the age-old nature-nurture debate. Unlike the static conception of nature or nurture, epigenetic research demonstrates how genes and environments continuously interact to produce characteristics throughout a lifetime. Factors like stress, nutrition, and exposure to toxins all play a role in how genes are expressed-essentially which genes are turned on or off. And what your genes are doing is influenced by the ever-changing environment they’re in. Moore explains in his newest book, The Developing Genome, this burgeoning field reveals that what counts is not what genes you have so much as what your genes are doing. New research into epigenetics-the science of how the environment influences genetic expression-is changing the conversation.

Since the 16th century, when the terms “nature” and “nurture” first came into use, many people have spent ample time debating which is more important, but these discussions have more often led to ideological cul-de-sacs rather than pinnacles of insight. The one says genes determine an individual while the other claims the environment is the linchpin for development. How do we become who we are? Traditionally, people’s answers have placed them in one of two camps: nature or nurture.

Human nature as related to a psychological phenomena