Intelligence, nature vs. nurture, and genetics play a significant role in human intelligence and the overall thinking process. This argument is explicitly informed by several studies involving these central concepts of the general being. Although some of the concepts are controversial, for instance, that ‘human language is learned through reinforcement’, most of the arguments revolving around intelligence and the pivotal factors are widely agreed on by most scholars. Therefore, this paper provides an opinion on the role of genetics, nature vs. nature, and intelligence in influencing thoughts and how these concepts coincide with the Chapter 7 information on intelligence.
Nature vs. nurture is an ancient discussion in society and biology about the sense of balance between two opposing aspects which control fate: genetics (nature) and environment (nurture). According to Houmark et al. (2020), nature is the believed hereditary factor passed from one person to another or even generations at large through the biological process of reproduction. Nature dictates how a person inherently is, in aspects such as stature, skin colour, height, and hair color, among others. In all instances, nature cannot be changed except under very special circumstances that may limit gene expression or cause mutations, hindering or expressing specific characteristics. On the other end, nature involves the external environment and all factors about it. These include socioeconomic activities, culture, education, and economic status, only to mention a few.
Although nature and nurture have been argued to play a vital role in intelligence and behavior, different researchers hold a contrasting opinions in which they support the concept of nurture. For instance, Honeycutt (2019) argues that the environment dictates human intelligence and behavior since most of these concepts are continuously expressed throughout life. In support of this stance, nurture contributes more to behavior and intelligence as these concepts are dynamic and largely depend on the environment one is exposed- this is a personal opinion.
The contrast between nature and nurture is revealed in the documentary, ‘Three Identical Strangers. The three main characters are identical triplets, separated and given up for adoption in different families. Although studies on human subjects are highly discouraged, this particular research shed more light on the role of the environment in shaping behavior. In a personal opinion, nature made the three triplets identifiable by the people around them.
Their resemblance and ease of interacting with each other made them realize that they, indeed, were triplets. However, since the three were raised in different environmental settings (economically stable background, middle economic level background, and a low economic level background), their behavior distinctly varied. They often faced challenges interacting with others and among themselves, and one struggling with a mental illness led him to commit suicide (Smith, 2018). From this analogy, it is clear that nature and nurture play a role in intelligence, hence behavior.
Another area where these two conflicting aspects have been found to contribute greatly is cognition. According to Heine (2017), cognition is an exceptionally complex essential feature of humans constantly involved in all thought, behavior and intelligence activities. In human cognition, the environment and inner being (thoughts, memories, past experiences, and natural concepts) interplay to dictate the level of one’s intelligence.
In this case, both natural and artificial concepts influence thoughts based on perception. The information from the external environment may trigger the remembrance of past experiences and emotions, leading to the initiation of a thought which is actualized through behavior. For instance, the mention of a dog can trigger the brain to remember an experience of a pet, making one think of a pet’s name and finally vocalize it.
Heredity also influences intelligence, where people with specific genetic markers have specific distinctive characteristics that others without such genes lack. Although Ducarme & Couvet (2020) put more weight on the environment in this aspect, certain features, such as high IQ and emotional intelligence, cannot be measured in the metrics of environmental exposure. Additionally, past experiences and how different issues were handled may only result in more expertise in dealing with a certain subject rather than intelligence. In contrast to this view, Spielman et al. (2020) argue that the human brain tirelessly processes information from the external environment into meaningful thoughts, emotions, and behavior. In this case, long-term exposure to such events guides the degree of organization of the information the brain receives.
Schemata, a mental construct composed of interrelated concepts, organize information, thus allowing the brain to work more efficiently. This involves understanding the roles and events and making quick yet informed judgements based on the concepts presented h (Spielman et al., 2020). For example, when someone introduces herself as a community nurse, one will automatically fit a certain character to that person. One may perceive the person as being kind-hearted simply because of their role, although this is not necessarily true. On the other hand, repeating events forms a specific behavior that must be performed (failure to which the brain is alerted) every time there is an external stimulus (Spielman et al., 2020). An example of this behavior is locking the car door whenever one wants to drive. Based on this aspect of interrelations, behavior is formed from memories, emotions, past experiences, and external stimuli.
Genetics and environment also contribute to intelligence, as seen in language mastery. Although communication takes different forms, such as posture, body movements and, vocalization, odour, language is considered a unique mode of communication. Precisely, this is what makes the difference between humans and other mammals. The ability to efficiently use language is a factor of both environment and genetics. According to Spielman et al. (2020), children learn new languages faster and can more efficiently use them in future than adults. In contrast, adults take much time to learn a new language or follow the simple rules guiding the use of language. Other means of communication, such as shaking hands to represent greetings, keeping eye contact during a presentation or nodding, can easily be misinterpreted, hence are not reliable in showing intelligence.
Additionally, people capable of using a certain language must have been exposed to an environment that dictates the use of it thereof. In other words, the environment contributes to language intelligence whereby repeated sounds, vocabularies, nouns, and other language factors create a constant reminder and increase proficiency in using the specific language. This is mainly observed among children who prefer pictures accompanied by sounds, such as video games (Spielman et al., 2020).
As a result of this exposure, they can effectively communicate by repeating commonly repeated words. Similarly, during the initial stages when children learn to speak, they often vocalize a single word that informs the listener what the child wants. People exposed to a specific way of communication, precisely language, may find difficulty adjusting to a new space where a different communication is used. Thus, both environment and genetics play a role in intelligence through language and communication.
Lastly, the aspect of nature and nurture come into play with intelligence as evidenced in problem-solving skills/ problem-solving intelligence. As mentioned earlier, some people have a higher intelligence quotient (IQ), a factor of genetics, while others gain knowledge through experience. In both cases, experience, emotional intelligence and IQ are necessary for problem-solving (Spielman et al., 2020). For instance, when one experiences a certain challenge and can find a way out of it, he/she can easily navigate should a similar challenge happen in the future. Here, intelligence is not a result of genetics but experience gained through exposure.
According to Heine (2017), nurture is not only defined by external environmental factors but also by individual thoughts and cognition. Problem-solving skills require IQ, emotional intelligence and experience since the brain is actively involved. Similarly, learning through experience and preventing the reoccurrence of problems in the future is a factors of intelligence. Hence, through nature and nurture, intelligence is influenced, as seen in problem-solving.
In conclusion, the contribution of nature vs. nurture, twin studies, and genetics to intelligence are vast and complex. Different researchers have shed light on this subject, though there are still areas of controversy. As discussed above, heredity affects intelligence and behavior by influencing the thought process, determining an individual’s IQ, defining certain characteristics that distinguish intellectual performance, and allowing learning new skills, such as a new language. On the other hand, nurture, which involves both internal and external environments, plays a role in intelligence by influencing behavior through experience and expertise.
References
Ducarme, F., & Couvet, D. (2020). What does “nature” mean?. Palgrave Communications, 6(1). Web.
Heine, S. J. (2017). DNA is not destiny: The remarkable, completely misunderstood relationship between you and your genes. W. W. Norton & Company.
Honeycutt, H. (2019). Nature and nurture as an enduring tension in the history of psychology. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Psychology. Web.
Houmark, M., Ronda, V., & Rosholm, M. (2020). The nurture of nature and the nature of nurture: How genes and investments interact in the formation of skills. SSRN Electronic Journal. Web.
Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. (2020). Psychology 2e. Openstax College, Rice University.
Smith, S. (2018). The sinister true story of the triplets separated at birth as part of cruel experiment [Video] YouTube. Web.