Nature vs. nurture is a debate that seeks to determine what shapes the human personality the most if not exclusively. Nature in this debate denotes genetic and biological predispositions that each human possesses. Conversely, nurture symbolizes the influence of a person’s environment and its ability to mold their behavior and predict future life outcomes. Personally, I believe that neither biological determinism or existentialism can adequately describe the reality of what it is like to be a human. Nativist and nurturist views are the two extremes that willingly dismiss the intricacy of personal development. Therefore, just like the majority of modern psychologists, I am inclined to believe that both nature and nurture should be paid equal attention. In fact, science would only benefit from focusing on how genetic traits manifest themselves in different environments. In other words, the truth lies in the interactions between nature and nurture as opposed to each of them separately.
I believe that my views are supported by the documentary suggested for independent analysis – Wild Child: The Story of Feral Children. The documentary revolves around the lives of children that grew up in the company of other living creatures. Some of them had never had any human contact prior to being discovered. It was quite unsettling to realize that years of deprivation rendered these children incapable of developing language abilities and adapting in society. Wild Child: The Story of Feral Children demonstrates how nature and nurture are intertwined. All these children were born with an innate ability to speak, connect with others, and read social cues. However, there are critical periods when young humans are the most sensitive to their environment, and if they are neglected, they never realize their innate capacities. In other words, in feral children, nature does not find support in nurture, making it impossible for them to adjust to living among other human beings.
Work Cited
“Wild Child: The Story of Feral Children.” YouTube, 2014, Web.