I have been thinking alot about whether the nature v. nurture debate applies in real life. You know, in the everyday of 'you' and 'I' versus the everyday world of a psychology article and I am thinking it does. Obviously, this could be a confirmation bias on my part but I am realizing - having been back for all of a week - that there are ways in which I am very like my mum. And there are ways I am very like my dad. Which is probably why I am also sometimes at loggerheads with my parents - more often with my dad, since we are both stubborn and like to do things our own way.
But I think it applies in other ways: looking at my nephew whom I have not seen since he was two, I think more and more than he has alot of mannerisms that are similar to my brothers. In fact, there are things he does or ways he acts and I immediately flash back to growing up with my youngest brother. But, additionally, in ways that would not be expected, there are so many physical characteristics that everyone in the family says is just like when my brother was younger. Which is weird? Can nurture influence nature that much?
Yes -
ReplyDeleteNature, and your genetic make-up only provide a starting block; a predisposition towards X, Y, and Z.
Nurture takes up the rest.
Why are so many domestic dogs and cats so bad at burying their poop? Because they are taken away from their parents at a young age and never taught. So they have the genetic knowledge that perhaps they should, but not the know-how to do it.