Question

The way you look can be attributed to your DNA or genetic make-up. However, if you have an accident and need plastic surgery that alters your looks. You might say that there was an environmental factor that affected your looks. Some feel that our behavioral traits are determined by nature; others feel that you learn your behavior which is determined or nurtured by those around you. Of the two theories, nature (genetic pre-programming) or nurture (the environment in which you were reared), which one do you believe makes the greatest impact on human behavior? Watch the TEDxUIUC - Gene Robinson - Solving the "Nature vs Nurture" Dilemma and discuss why you feel that nature or nurture has the greatest influence on our behavior.

Answer 1

Hi thanks for your question.

The nature versus nature controversy is a long discussed topic, but i personally feel that both nature and nurture influence or impact the human behaviour. Discussing it with regards to Gene Robinson experiment we can understand that nature or the heredity and nurture or the environment both influence the genome. In the experiment 100 honeybees were studied, this experiment was also replicated on other species, it basically showed that the gene influenced social behaviour but the activity of the gene was influence by the environment or the nurture. The honeybees in the society have different responsibilities just like any society, some take care of the babies and some get food from outside. This is a social regulated behaviour which manifests itself in changes in the activities in literally thousands of genes. This experiment also showed that old bees inhibit how the young bees grow up and this process includes the exchange of food and other materials. Therefore social information can influence the genome which in turn does alter the brain and behaviour. Thus as we can see from this experiment that nature and nurture both influence and shape our human behaviour.