There are students who absolutely dread essays and spend hours procrastinating when there’s an essay for homework. Perhaps you spend more time stressing over the essay than you actually spend working on it.
But when you have something as interesting as a nature vs nurture essay to work on, you should look forward to it because here’s your chance to learn something new while you work on the essay!
Nature vs nurture essay is a rather common topic and can be assigned at all levels – to high school students as well as University scholars. The approach and the complexity of the essay, however, is bound to differ in such cases. Instead of giving students a glimpse into an average nature vs nurture essay, this blog shall try to introduce some key nature vs nurture ideas, which you can develop into your own unique essay!
Nature vs Nurture essay: an introduction
To begin with, let us try to understand the difference between the two. The nature of an individual is primarily concerned with their genetic make-up; in many cases, certain behaviors of individuals have been ascribed to their heredity. Nurture, on the other hand, refers to the environmental and societal conditions within which a person is brought up. Nurture focuses on the influence that parents, siblings, friends, relatives, and society as a whole can have on the development of an individual’s personality.
What psychology says:
The nature vs nurture argument is one of the key psychological debates that rage to date. Studies have shown that two twins brought up in the same environment can grow into two very different human beings. In most arguments today, culture or nurture tends to take preeminence, with more evidence suggesting that it is nurture that plays the most significant role in personal development. In fact, attributes that were long thought to be human nature, have now been proven to be a product of social conditioning or nurture.
Gender stereotypes: a key point in nature vs nurture essay
Not too long ago, it was taken for granted that women are born with a specific nature (physically weak, easy to cry, interested in housework rather than worldly adventures, meant to be caregivers). Men, on the other hand, were also ascribed specific ‘natural’ qualities (like the inability to express emotion or general tendencies towards physical violence). Post-1950s, elaborate studies on gender theories have done away with these ideas.
Gender theories use analytic studies and biological/ psychological revelations to expose that neither men nor women are born with these ‘natural’ qualities, but ever since their birth, they are conditioned to develop these personalities. The personality development is entirely post-natal and hence not in their ‘nature’. Women take up housework (in traditional societies) because their mothers and grandmothers have done the same before them, and society imposes upon them that is their ‘natural role’. Biology or human psychology hardly supports the much professed gender roles.
Men find it difficult to express emotions because society forbids them from doing so in its celebration of hyper masculinity, where the prototypical man is invincible. All gender stereotypes have now been identified as cultural products of the patriarchal world.
Religion, Nationalism, Community
Another interesting area that you can explore in your nature vs nurture essay is with respect to religion and nationalism. A person’s development of personality has a lot to do with their‘sense of belonging’ or sense of ‘identity’. Beyond the family sphere, this sense of belonging is afforded by one’s ‘religion’, and their ‘national identity’.
Going back to the primitive times, human kind realized the need to live in groups for the sake of safety (against wild animals, for an instant). At this point, the need to live is grouped was a need for survival, and hence a natural instinct. Development of myth and religion played very significant parts in forming such groups (certain tribes chose certain rituals or forms of worship to appease the Nature). This also ensured the tribe stayed together, with a sense of sameness and belonging (with shared rituals and mode of life).
Eventually, newborns were conditioned and taught to participate in the same rituals, to believe in the same myths, which in turn increased the strength of the tribe (by increasing the population).
To prevent one’s tribe members from joining another tribe (which would then become stronger and have more power over this present tribe) an animosity was essentially promoted towards other tribes. (Today, we can find this sort of animosity between two religions, or two nations fighting over one thing – think Israel and Palestine). Initially, these two were a survival strategy since tribes living in the same areas often had to compete over the same pieces of land, or animals in the jungle.
Today, the basics of Nationalism work the same way, but of course, it’s a more complex area of study. Nevertheless, this is one area where it is hard to distinguish between nature and nurture because they both go hand in hand. A natural need gives rise to a specific way of nurturing.
Monogamy, Polyamory, and societal definitions of relationships
Another very significant area,which always makes its way into nature vs nurture essays, is the study of human relationships. The state-religion duo in the many nations imposes monogamy, and for long, traditional orthodox societies in the east (except for Islamic societies) have accepted and celebrated monogamy as natural. Besides, homosexuality in many countries is termed unnatural.
The western part of the world, on the other hand, would scoff at the idea of a single partner for a lifetime. It just doesn’t sound practical. The western culture is more accustomed to a polyamorous way of life (or serial monogamy at its best). Here, polyamory is thought to be natural. Also, Several countries celebrate Gay Pride.
The co-existence of two contradictory ‘natural’ ways of life only suggests the ideas regarding relationships aren’t natural but cultural products.
Hopefully, all these points will provide you with ample ideas and substance for your nature vs nurture essay. Don’t shy away from doing a little research of your own. Introduce bits and pieces of scientific data to support your arguments, and no one can stop you from scoring a straight A! Good luck!
