Nature vs. nurture is acommon topic that strikes controversy in the psychology field, for someindividuals believe that both nature and nurture shape a person into who theyare. However, other individuals may disagree and favor one over the other,arguing that one side is more influential than the other. Based on myexperiences and knowledge, I believe that nurture plays a larger role in one’slife compared to nature.
It is the way a person is raised that makes them whothey are. To commence, one reason for supporting the fact thatnurture greatly influences one’s cognition and perspective on certain topics isbecause it has been proven by studies. After reading the article by Dr. AnthonyBiglan, “Nature vs. Nurture? As a Practical Matter, It’s Nurture,” I was ableto have an insight on the studies that were performed as well as the availablenurturing programs. For instance, Biglan mentioned the “Nurse FamilyPartnership” program, which “provides support to poor, first-time mothersduring their pregnancy and during the first two years of the baby’s life”(Biglan, 2015). In the program, the mothers are given parenting tips, such ashow to “gain patience” with their child and provides aid for them with acquiring”better jobs” in the future. After the study was conducted, the researcherswere able to conclude that “children whose mothers had received the programended up… exhibiting half the level of delinquency at age 15 as childrenwhose mothers did not receive the program” (Biglan, 2015).
The conducted studywas able to demonstrate that nurture highly influences a person’s thinking andactions by coming to the conclusion that the children who were a part of theprogram had a lesser chance of being involved in a crime or wrongdoing. Furthermore, another reason for supporting nurture forbeing the most influential during human mental development all traces down to arecent high school experience of mine. As a straight-A student coming from alow-income family, I was raised to value education, love knowledge, and to workhard by doing anything that I do to my maximum potential. At my high school, Idemonstrate this by answering questions, studying for hours, scoring thehighest scores, being president of clubs, etc. However, doing this has also ledto criticism from a handful of fellow classmates of mine.
Some of the commentsthat I get told are, “You work too hard,” “You need a break,” “Why stressyourself out?” I always end up explaining to them how I was raised in a stricthousehold and was taught to work hard. On the contrary, they end up explainingto me how their parents do not even acknowledge their scores, which is why theydo not try their hardest academically. This personal experience led me to theconclusion that if one is raised to behave or act in a certain way, then theywill most likely reflect on that.
Especially since my experience demonstratedthat the amount of interest that a parent invests in their child’s academicsoften affects their performance and motivation to learn. Therefore, nurtureplayed a large role in my case rather than “natural smarts,” or nature. In conclusion, I believe that nurture plays a veryimportant role in who a person is because of my personal experience and the “NurseFamily Partnership” study that was conducted.
How children are raised highlyaffects them and how they turn out to be in the future. Nurture makes us who weare.
