The question of how nature and nurture affect human development has been a topic of considerable discussion for a long time. However, currently, studies have failed to effectively establish which one of the two is more influential. Regardless, both elements play a vital role in human development from the moment a baby is born to the time it become an adult. In this context, nature may be described as genetic inheritance or the genetic constitution which an individual takes from both parents from the time they are conceived ( Gottlieb, 2014 ). In other words, nature refers to biologically inherited traits that an individual possesses and which may be observed as they grow and develop. Nurture, on the other and, refers to the various environmental factors to which one is subjected from conception to death. This paper contains a retrospective analysis of personality and evaluates the reasons why the science of psychology places more emphasis on results based on scientific studies than it does on personal experience and anecdotes.
Regardless of whether nature or nurture plays a greater role in human development, there are some aspects of one’s personality that change with time while some remain consistent ( Gross, 2015 ). From a personal point of view, I can confess to having a negative attitude towards the authority my parent had on life when I was younger. I did not understand why I could not pick the schools I wanted to attend, for instance, as my parents dictated such decisions. It was confusing how someone could make choices on my behalf without considering whether I was okay with them. However, as I grew older I began understanding that my parent always wanted the best for me. I can associate the person I have become with the choices they made for me when I was younger and they make more sense now.
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This changes did not occur by themselves; rather, they were caused by the manner in which I was nurtured by my parents and my interactions with other people in the community. Nature can only enable the fetus to grow into a normal well-developed adult. Nature rarely imparts any positive or negative behavioral traits to a person. It is nurture which is responsible for bringing about positive or negative attributes in someone. Nurture tends to speed up one’s capacity to learn new things ( Gottlieb, 2014 ). A person can improve their knowledge by learning to cope with all factors in their environment. While I can link the color of my hair and skin to my parents’ through nature, I credit a larger portion of my personality to the nurturing I received.
In responding to such issues as determining which one between nurture and nature plays a greater role in human development, personal experience and anecdotes do not, however, provide the necessary evidence in the field of psychology. Personal experience is often subject to various sources of bias and cannot therefore provide the accuracy that is required ( Gross, 2015 ). Confabulation, for example, exists when one inaccurately remembers events that actually never occurred. In giving personal history, one may also include information regarding events that they might have only wished would happen but did not actually materialize. The imaginations that one has a child may appear as reality when one grows older and, therefore, constitute bias. Personal anecdotes are also subject to selective memory, whereby one loses particular elements of their memory. Such memories may include traumatic events, special talents, and relationships.
Given the various shortcomings associated with applying personal experience, the science of psychology gives greater emphasis on outcomes based on scientific studies. Such an approach discredits the absolute application of rationalism and requires that knowledge should only come through one’s senses. In this way, scientific approach does not rely on argument or belief; rather, observations are performed carefully and recorded in detail for the purpose of future reference and investigation. Thus, the science of psychology requires researchers to remain objective as objectivity minimizes the likelihood of bias and eliminates personal opinions. According to Buss (2015), the main reason why this field pursues scientific studies more than personal experience is that “the facts speak for themselves, even though they might be different from what the researcher expected.” The results obtained through personal experience, on the other hand, depends on the researcher’s perceptions and personality. As a result, they are more likely as compared to the scientific approach to be affected by error and bias.
Conclusions
From the discussion, it can be deduced that there are aspects of one’s personality that change with time whereas some remain consistent and may last a lifetime. Regarding the role of nature and nurture in human development, it has been established that the latter is more influential than the former. While nature contributes mostly to the physical aspect of development, nurture is responsible for a larger portion of one’s personality.
It has also been found that one’s narration of personal history is subject to bias and inaccuracy mainly as a result of selective memory and confabulation. Selective memory is the loss of certain elements of one’s memory. Confabulation happens when one inaccurately remembers events that actually never took place. The science of psychology focuses more on outcomes based on scientific approaches as compared to personal experience and anecdotes. This is because scientific approaches reveal facts which are not under the influence of the researcher’s personality. The knowledge gained through scientific approaches only comes through senses such as sight and touch.
References
Buss, D. (2015). Evolutionary psychology: The new science of the mind . Psychology Press.
Gottlieb, G. (2014). Synthesizing nature-nurture: Prenatal roots of instinctive behavior . Psychology Press.
Gross, R. (2015). Psychology: The science of mind and behavior 7th edition . Hodder Education.
