Meggy-ahn's Blog <3

Thursday, December 07, 2006

10:11 AM

Journal Entry #5

Nature vs. Nurture
What are your beliefs about Nature vs.
Nurture?
Which has a greater impact?
Why?

Give examples of how “nurture” has influenced the way
you have developed
Be prepared to share your answers

I believe that Nurture has a greater impact than Nature; even though one may be born with a specific personality, especially shown in that of other family members (love of a particular subject, love of sports, quick temper, a specific style of handwriting), the environment has a greater lasting effect. For example, even before the child's birth, the environment is impacting him; the mother chooses what food to eat, and that food may either help the baby grow or stunt the baby's growth. If she eats a balanced meal every day, the baby will be healthy, but if she only eats a certain kind of food, like sweets, the baby will be born unhealthy. Doing drugs, smoking, or drinking alcohol can severely hurt a baby even before it is born. Whether or not a family has a history of being healthy and athletic, the baby will not be born healthy because of this; it is solely what the mother eats and how she treats her body, save a few select cases where babies are born with a genetic disability.

Secondly, I believe that, again, if one dresses their child in a specific way, that child may be either driven to continue dressing that way, as they are used to it or like it, or they will be driven to change their style of dress. It one constantly wears the same thing, they may be driven to change their style out of boredom with their original style...not necessarily because they are born with a preference for dressing a certain way.

Similarly, children who seem to enjoy playing with blocks may be influenced to abandon their blocks in favor of dolls, if they witness more children playing with dolls. The media has a tremendous effect on a child for this reason; even now, girls are traditionally shown playing with dolls, where boys are shown with monster trucks. Boys who play with the toys specific to the opposite gender may be motivated to switch to toys specific to their gender after seeing boys their age play with them in person or on TV.

A child will develop social skills as they have been taught at home, and after their first few encounters with strangers. If a child's parents have encouraged him to be social and make friends, they will be driven to do so, but if the first time they try to make a friend they are rejected, they will certainly be reluctant to approach others again. Shyness forms from negative social experiences, where self-confidence and assertiveness grows as one is accepted. I was a very shy individual before about 10th grade, because before than I was never really socially accepted. Now, with a lot of friends to support me, I am more confidant. Where I couldn't stand to join groups like clubs without a friend in them before, I'm now involved in many clubs that none of my friends are in. Where I hardly talked at all in 9th grade, not even answering questions teachers asked me when I knew the answers. In comparison, I can be very talktive now, and I even initiate conversation with strangers, where before, I would be far too shy to even consider attempting such a thing.

If one is abused or neglected they may become withdrawn, untrusting, and even violent themselves; many people believe that simply spanking a child can trigger aggression in the child later on. Many untrusting individuals are so because of traumatic events that happened to them, making them completely untrusting of a particular group of people, or of all people. Many antisocial personalities develop from childhood, as abuse or bullying mirrors in the invidual affected. For this reason, it is a common belief that rather than being born violent, criminals develop their violent streak through traumatic events that happen to them during their childhood...or even during adulthood.

0 Comments: