Nursing/ psychology / - Essay Example

“Concrete behavioral traits”, Pinker observes, “reflect the underlying talents and temperaments—how proficient with language a person is, how religious, how liberal or conservative—are partially heritable.” (2004). The study of personality development is an exceedingly complex phenomenon. Several theories have been articulated on the question of how a personality passes through different phases of growth from childhood to adolescence, and what are the components which determine transformations in a child from premature years to maturity.

Also theorists analyze whether the deviant behavior in people is a learned one or man’s behaviors are due to uncontrollable genetic impulses. Also, variation in intensity of aggression and violence among people is due to difference in their hormones. “The only influence”, Cervone views, “which parents would have on their children’s personality is a biological one. They pass their genes on to their children. According to the trait theories, parents’ interpersonal interactions with their children would exert little effect on the child’s personality development.”(2001). The nature-nurture debate is one of the most enduring one with reference to the discipline of psychology, and in respect of discovering the development of personality.

Social theorists stand pole apart in their observations in respect of the effect of the environment on the one hand and innate characteristics on the other in making up of a personality. The Naturists are of the view that ones genetic code at birth determines as the primary factor in one’s growth of intelligence. The Nurturists, on the other hand, consider environment the dominant factor in which a child is brought up. “Nature versus nurture”, Pinker views, “is a shorthand expression for debates about the relative importance of an individuals innate qualities ("nature") versus