The Biggest Psychological Debate - What's Your Take?

There are a lot of great debates in psychology. However, many would agree that one of the most contested is the nature or nurture debate. The nature versus nurture debate is all about the extent to which certain elements of behaviour are a product of acquired influences, i.e. those we have learned, or inherited, by genetics. So, let’s explore the nature nurture debate in psychology further.

What Do Nature and Nurture Mean?

The question of nature or nurture is something that will probably be debated until the end of time. Nature refers to what we think of as pre-wiring. Genetic inheritance influences nature, as well as other biological factors. Nurture, on the other hand, is considered as the influence of external factors after conception, for example, life experiences.

The Nature of Nurture

Nurture will assume that the links between environmental factors and psychological outcomes are caused environmentally. For instance, how well a child can read will be linked to how often the child’s parents read to them. Nevertheless, behavioural genetics argue that what appears to be an environmental effect is typically a reflection of genetic differences. This is where the argument fundamentally lies. However, we have extended beyond the stage of simply championing one corner over the other. Rather, it is the interaction between the two that is really fascinating psychologists today.