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Rylie Gumtow

Mr. Ventura

English 12, Period 2

15 December 2020

Nature vs. Nurture Diving Deeper into the Human Psyche

Psychologists are divided about what causes some behaviors, nature vs nurture. “Strict

behaviorists believe that all behaviors are the result of experience” (Cherry 2). Others believe

that genetics may be the cause while others still believe that nature and nurture are intertwined.

People who are diagnosed as psychopaths and who have sociopathic tendencies are classified as

having antisocial personality disorder according to the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical

Manual of Mental Disorders). Furthermore, this controversy can be seen in the case with people

diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder. It is largely attributed to those individuals who

have caused significant harm to other people throughout the course of their adolescence into

adulthood. In order to address this controversy, the NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health)

needs to further their research and studies of the human psyche to arrive at a greater

understanding of what causes antisocial personality disorder to better prevent the problems it

causes for individuals who suffer from it.

When discussing the debate of nature and nurture you have to understand the meaning of

both and have a clear understanding of why they are so important to what makes us up as

humans. Nature being you are predisposed to be who you are, it is your genetic makeup and

some psychologists believe there is no way of changing that, being “predisposed”. “Nature refers

to all of the genes and hereditary factors that influence who we are from our physical appearance

to our personality characteristics. (Cherry 1 The Old Age Debate of Nature Vs Nurture)”
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Knowing the full definition of nature, having a better definition further leads in the direction of

having the complete knowledge and being able to decide which one we derive from. Nurture can

simply be defined as it is your environment that makes you who you are, for example “Nurture

refers to all the environmental variables that impact who we are, including our early childhood

experiences, how we were raised, our social relationships, and our surrounding culture. (Cherry 1

The Old Age Debate of Nature Vs Nurture)” Some psychologists believe they are intertwined

and perform together as one, but with more research can we prove is it one or the other? When

continuing to look into both sides they both have their differences. Nativists take the nature side,

believing we are all predisposed to be someone and nothing can change that. Then there are the

empiricists who believe we develop everything from learning and experience. In referencing

those individuals with a diagnosis of anti- social personality disorder. “Psychopaths who

demonstrate a wide range of persistent and anti-social behavior; anti-social personality disorder

encompasses criminally psychopathic behaviors marked by a lifelong pattern of the manipulation

and violence of others’ rights. (Leary 1)” The big question is where do these individuals fall?

With research can we come to a better understanding and therefore help them at an early age and

possibly prevent them from committing heinous acts. Knowing and completely understanding

every aspect of what makes us up as humans and how we act is crucial to coming to a final

conclusion.

When discussing which is the more logical side of the debate, most psychologists side

with the nurture aspect. When you are growing up and you are surrounded by loving caring

parents you too will most likely turn out that way because it is all you know and all you grew up

around, you adapted that mindset of being a lovable person. This also corresponds with if a child

is raised in a household where the father is abusive either to his wife or his whole family, the
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child memorizes those things and then will show aggressive behavior because of what they were

surrounded by as a young child, in many cases the child will show anti- personality disorders,

this also leads to someone developing psychopathic and sociopathic tendencies as they get older.

Leading to them either hating their fathers and creating a fantasy of wanting to do what their

father did to his mother, or siding with the father creating a hatred for women, which results

them to go after women. A child being exposed to such violence at a young age forces them to

find something else to put their time into and then starts those psychopathic tendencies as they

start showing that violence against animals or humans. Conducting more research, and testing we

would be able to stop this from even happening, or create options for children and or adults to go

to get treatment. Another side for nurture that many psychologists mention and discuss is

behaviorism, “also known as behavioral psychology, is a theory of learning based on the idea

that all behaviors are acquired through conditioning, Conditioning occurs through interaction

with the environment. Behaviorists believe that our responses to environmental stimuli shape our

actions. (Cherry 2 History and Key Concepts of Behavioral Psychology)” With interaction

between environments result in how we act, what we say and how are brains are wired as we

continue to grow. As we develop so do our brains, what we learn as a child results in what we

turn out to be as an adult. When discussing nature vs. nurture it is crucial to know how we are

made up as a human being, there would be no discussion if we there wasn’t a problem in

America with the way people develop their brains, emotions and what children are exposed to at

a young age.

The scientific background on both nature and nurture plays an important role in which

one we derive from. Discussing genes and environments and which one is the most impactful in

the human psyche, that also takes part in nature vs nurture and what we derive from. The
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discussion between genes and environmental factors is crucial to this discussion as it makes up a

huge part of how our brains function and could lead to a clear cut answer. “Interplay between

genetic and environmental factors. This holds out the prospect that by studying G x E interplay

we can explain individual variation invulnerability and resilience to environmental hazards in the

development of mental disorders. Furthermore, studying G x E findings may give insights in

neurobiological mechanisms of psychiatric disorder and so improve individualized treatment and

potentially prevention. (Wermter, Page 1)” Studying and conducting further research could

possibly solve the debate of nature vs nurture and possibly prevent people who suffer from anti-

social disorders to develop psychological tendencies. Conducting research can further come to a

conclusion that there is only one certain answer, and by doing this there can be more tests and

experiments, possibly figuring out a way if we can stop those psychopathic and sociopathic

tendencies before they even start.

Important notes to mention that “Other well- known thinkers such as John Locke

believed in what is known as Tabula Rasa, which suggests that the mind begins as a blank slate.

According to this notion, everything that we are and all of our knowledge is determined by our

experience. (Cherry 2 The Age Old Debate of Nature Vs Nurture)” Concluding to that we as

humans are nothing but evolution as we develop in many ways outside the brain, the brain is a

blank piece of paper waiting to be filled in as we learn throughout our lives.

As nurture is mostly sided with by psychologists many people believe in nature, these

people are called nativists. “Advocates for this point of view believe that all of our characteristics

and behaviors are the result of evolution. Genetic traits handed down from parents influence the

individual differences that make each person unique. (Cherry 2 The Age Old Debate of Nature vs

Nurture)” I agree with their points as genetics and how it is the inevitable and those can’t be
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changed like hair, gender and color. Nativists also side with humans being predisposed and we

are born to be someone and that is unchangeable. “Characteristics and differences that are not

observable at birth, but which emerge later in life, are regarded as the product of maturation.

That is to say, we all have an inner “biological clock” which switches on (or off) types of

behavior in a pre-programmed way. (McLead 3)” Nativists make solid points for why they agree

with the nature side, as they also argue cognitive development is a factor from this as well. While

some of the points they make are agreeable, I fully agree with the empiricists, even if a child is

born with all the same genetics as their parents, their environment around them can change that

and lead them to compose a different life then what they are “predisposed” as.

It’s clear that the nature vs nurture debate has continually stumped psychologists as there

is no clear answer as to which one has a more significant influence on human behavior. When

discussing nurture there is no doubt it is more logical than nature. So many factors may play a

role in the development of the human psyche, and while that is true, one agreeable position is

nature and nurture play a significant role in our development and who we are predisposed to be.

The NIMH needs to conduct further research to verify nurture is how we become who we are as

people.

 Introduction clearly states a thesis and background information

 Be careful of wording and passive voice

 Rebuttal could be stated clearer/ really prove why that side is wrong

 Some repetition – combing sentences will give more structure and flow

throughout paper

 Integrated quotes well

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 Overall, good organization. Just checking for egregious errors and making certain

points clearer will make your paper stronger.

Works Cited

Cherry, Kendra. “History and Key Concepts of Behavioral Psychology.” VeryWellMind, Vol.2.Num.1,

reviewed by Steven Gans, 24 September 2019, pp. 1-6. Access Date: 12 December 2020.

Cherry, Kendra. “The Age Old Debate of Nature vs. Nurture.” VeryWellMind, Vol.1 Num.1, reviewed

by David Susman, 3 June. 2020, pp. 1-4. Access Date: 12 December 2020.

Leary, Terence. “Serial Killers and Intelligence Levels: Variability, Patterns, and Motivations to Kill.”

North American Journal of Psychology, Vol.21, Iss.4, Winter Garden, Dec. 2019, pp. 787-800.

Access Date: 27 October 2020.

Wermeter, Anne-Kathrin. “From Nature Versus Nurture, Via Nature and Nurture, to Gene x

Environment Interaction in Mental Disorders.” European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Vol.

19, Iss.3, European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 2010 March. pp. 199-210. Access Date: 27

October 2020.