Bonsant 1

Roger Bonsant

Mrs. Field

LNG406

31 January 2011

Nurture Trumps Nature

Though the strength of the nature argument has grown in more recent times due to

new discoveries in genetics, it must still be understood that the connection between

inherited genes and someone’s actions are still theoretical and cannot be stated as fact.

Whatever the case may be, people are usually mentally nurtured to think and behave

differently from what they may have originally been inclined to. Genetics may partially

account for the development of some personality traits as stated in Psychology Today, but

the lessons and moral values learned and instilled in the outside environment by teachers

and parents shapes us into who we are.

Even the literal environment plays a significant role in mental and physical

development. Someone born in China will be shaped to think differently than someone

born in the United States and will likely even look differently (at least in skin tone)

regardless of whether or not he or she is of that ethnicity because that person is subject to

the influence of everyone and everything around them. Geneticists may argue with fairly

convincing scientific and mathematic evidence that genes are responsible for many

behavioral features, including those that may be responsible for criminal conduct, but it

may be easily observed that the opinions and moral values of the individual overpower
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whatever inherent traits they were born with. This is because opinions and moral values

aren’t shaped by genetics, but by these highly influential environmental factors such as

home life, education, society, and everything else on this planet that may so much as

cause us to flinch. A man with moral acuity will not murder another man in cold blood

simply because they possess a gene that makes them more vulnerable to barbaric urges.

On the other hand, someone who grew up outside of significant positive moral influence

will have ideas and morals that differ greatly from the majority. This is especially true in

the case of parental neglect, abuse, poverty, poor education, and traumatic mind altering

experiences. A twin study published in Psychology Today released scientific and

mathematic evidence which shows that genetic influence can barely account for half

person’s chances of developing a personality disorder such as social avoidance, anxiety,

etc. It is widely believed, even by many scientists and researchers that the outside

influence triggers such development and is in many cases more responsible for it. Of

course, it must be acknowledged that the study of genetics is a valuable and interesting

field of study. It is based largely on factual findings, but its part in psychology is

exaggerated. The argument for environmental determinism is better because it has a

stronger basis in fact and social studies whereas the connection between genetic influence

and behavioral conduct is incontrovertibly split between environmental influence and has

a stronger basis in theory.

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Works Cited

"Nature vs. nurture: Neck and neck." Psychology Today 27.3 (1994): 18. MAS Ultra -

School Edition. EBSCO. Web. 2 Feb. 2011.