The Nature-nurture Controversy in Developmental Psychology - Essay Example

Nature and Nurture Controversy In Developmental Psychology Introduction The nature –nurture controversy in developmental psychology is a prevalent debate on whether factors such as heredity and particular settings influence the psychological development of human beings. Under the topic, the most observed aspects entail human conduct, practices, knowledge, disposition, gender, belligerent tendencies among other traits. DEFINITION OF NATURE AND NURTURE 1. Nature In psychology, nature’s definition leans on genes and other factors that human beings can inherit affecting their physique and other aspects that define their personality.

Psychologists, scientists and other researchers agree that hereditary factors are determinants of cerebral variations in both genders. Relative to nature, the dissimilarities are pervasive during birth while others become prevalent after the child is a teenager or young adult. Due to inheritance-related factors, puberty is present earlier in the female gender than the male gender. In addition, it causes the vast growth of boys after reaching puberty hence; they seem taller or older than girls do.

This observation forms the basis of most arguments leaning on nature in psychological development. The variations between males and females result from heredity, particularly hormones that are the only rational reason to the high levels of aggression among boys. Typically, researchers link the aggression in boys with testosterone variations; they more the levels increase, the more aggressive boys tend to be. Additionally, hormones are also facilitators of the visual and verbal capabilities of children.

However, among the popular arguments, the male gender has a better chance in getting augmented visual-spatial abilities than the female gender, while relative to verbal abilities: it is vice versa. 2. Nurture Nurture is a reference for variable that influence a person’s personality in certain environs with the most common examples being experiences as a child, relationships in the society, culture and definitely, how they were raised. Under nurture, psychologists focus on ecological influences after conception even with the least explored factors such as beliefs; they are part of a person’s nurture and might have affected their development in varying ways.

Today, research on culture shows certain practices were, and still are, for a specific gender, which affected their general conduct. This perception in most cultures creates the notion that it is inappropriate for opposite genders to take in part in such practices. This is also the theory behind the notion that occupations such as a construction manager are only males and nursing for females. Nurture creates a partly rational explanation for gender stereotypes purported by everyone in the society.