Nature Versus Nurture in Child Development - Essay Example

? Annotated Bibliography: Nature versus Nurture in Child Development May 7, Annotated Bibliography: Nature versus Nurture in Child Development This annotated bibliography summarizes articles and books that tackle the issue of nature versus nurture in child development. These articles and books either examine the effect of nature or nurture, or both, on children’s positive and negative behaviours. Bergin, C.C. and Bergin, D.A., 2012. Child and Adolescent Development in Your Classroom. California: Wadsworth. Authors provide an article on the nature-versus-nurture debate on child development. It is a secondary source. They argue that nature and nurture work together in influencing child development. They provide three principles that guide the interaction between nurture and nature variables (p.235). First, the environment influences gene expression. Second, genes can only shape childhood behaviours when environmental factors strengthen the former. Third, having particular genes can make children more susceptible to environmental influences. Bergin and Bergin (2012) conclude that social factors, which directly interact with children, can shape their development and even alter their genes. This book chapter is reliable because it uses secondary sources to support its arguments. It is also useful for my research, because it shows that genes can directly shape childhood behaviours. It combines the theories of nature and nurture to promote a holistic approach to child development. Boutwell, B.B., Franklin, C. A., Barnes, J.C., and Beaver, K.M., 2011. Physical punishment and childhood aggression: the role of gender and gene-environment interplay. Aggressive Behavior, 37 (6), pp.559-568. This is a primary source. Boutwell, Franklin, Barnes, and Beaver (2011) aim to understand if genetic influences moderate the effects of corporal punishment on children’s behaviour. They use data from twin siblings that come from a nationally representative data set. Findings showed that genetic risk and corporal punishment can shape behavioural problems for children with genetic risks. They emphasize, however, that the confluence of environmental and genetic risk factors is more evident for boys than girls. Boutwell, Franklin, Barnes, and Beaver (2011) conclude that spanking children, especially boys, with genetic risks can develop socially unacceptable behaviours. This article is reliable, because it uses scientific approach in analyzing the relationship among childhood aggression, genetic risks and child aggression. It is useful to my research, because it shows that both gender and gene-environment dynamics affect childhood conduct. Chen, X., Wu, H., Chen, H., Wang, L., and Cen, G., 2001. Parenting practices and aggressive behavior in Chinese children. Parenting: Science & Practice, 1 (3), pp. 159-184. This is a primary source. Chen et al. (2011) study the connection between parenting practices and Chinese children’s aggressive behaviours. The sampling included 68 children with a mean age of 4 years old. Findings showed that maternal warmth and guidance decrease aggression levels, while parental power aggression enhances aggression. Non-compliant and defiant children, nonetheless, diminish their deviant behaviours more under high parental power aggression. Chen et al. (2011) conclude that parenting style can affect childhood behaviours. This article is reliable, because it uses a scientific approach in examining the connection between parenting practices and Chinese children’s aggressive behaviours. It is useful to my research, because it underscores the role of immediate environment as a “nurture” factor in child development. It shows that parents also affect their children’s behaviours. Dodge, K.A., 2004. The nature-nurture debate and public policy. Merrill Palmer Quarterly, 50 (4), pp. 418-427. This is a secondary source of information on the topic. Dodge (2004) analyzes and synthesizes secondary sources. He argues that studies for the past decade highly suggest that both genes and the environment can help explain child behaviours. He asserts that the most significant discoveries are: the environment can stop or ignite gene expression, biology and environment keep on to affect each other throughout a person’s lifetime, and the theory of gene-environment fit can be maximized to develop positive behaviours. Dodge (2004) concludes that these findings should be used to enrich scholarship, practice, and public policy on child development. This article is reliable, because the author shows fairness and not bias, through examining both sides of the debate, while also mentioning studies that argue for the role of gene-environment interplay in child development. It is useful to my research, because it already summarizes key research findings and underlines the role of both the environment and genetics in the promotion of good behaviours among children. Ghodsian-Carpey, J. and Baker, L.A., 1987. Genetic and environmental influences on aggression in 4- to 7-year-old twins. Aggressive Behavior, 13 (4), 173-186. Ghodsian-Carpey and Baker (1987) examine the role of genetics and environmental factors on children’s aggression. They study a group of monozygotic (MZ) twins and a group of dizygotic (DZ) twins and compare observed similarities. MZ twins have 100% identical genes, while DZ twins have 50% similarities in their genes on the average (Ghodsian-Carpey and Baker, 1987, p.176). Findings showed that genetic similarity affected aggressive behaviours and for environmental sources of variance, within-family factors were far more significant than the between-family ones. Outcomes also showed important sex and zygosity differences for some of the particular aggressive behaviours, where males and DZ twins exhibited higher aggression than females and MZ twins. Ghodsian-Carpey and Baker (1987) conclude that genetics can directly affect behaviours, although gender and environmental factors can reduce gene expression for aggression. This article is relevant to the topic, because it highlights the strength of nature in childhood behaviour, although it recognizes the role of parents in managing gene expression. Levine, L.E. and Munsch, J., 2011. Child Development: An Active Learning Approach. California: SAGE. This is a secondary source, because it accumulates studies on the topic. For, Levine and Munsch (2011), the environment significantly shapes gene expression. Through genetic evidence, they prove that some genes make people more susceptible to bad or good behaviours. They also use twin studies which exhibit the effect of genes on alcoholism. Levine and Munsch (2011) add that cultural environments also affect their development. They conclude that aside from genetics, culture and environmental factors influence childhood attitudes and behaviours. This book chapter is reliable, because it uses logic and evidence to support its main points. It is useful to my research, because it provides genetic studies and twin studies to support the contention that nature and nurture can altogether shape childhood behaviours at varying degrees. Sameroff, A., 2010. Unified theory of development: A dialectic integration of nature and nurture. Child Development, 81 (1), 6-22., 17p, This is a secondary source. Sameroff (2010) studies the relationship between the nature and nurture debate. He mentions the wide range of studies that support the interconnection between nature and nurture. He proposes a unified theory of development that combines the models of personal change, context, regulation, and representation. He believes that these models affect the interactions between nature and nurture. Sameroff (2010) concludes that nature and nurture affect one another, as they also affect childhood behaviours. This article is reliable because it uses reliable primary sources to support its framework. It is useful to my research, because it shows that it is possible to unify two once-opposing theories by studying their interactions and resulting effects on childhood conduct. It also important to my research, because it highlights a systems approach to child development, which I also believe in. Votruba-Drzal, E., Coley, R. L., Maldonado-Carreno, C., Li-Grining, C.P., and Chase-Lansdale, P. L., 2010. Child care and the development of behavior problems among economically disadvantaged children in middle childhood. Child Development, 81 (5), 1460-1474. This is a primary source that uses data to find relationships between several factors. Votruba-Drzal et al. (2010) explore the impact of early education and care experiences on low-income children and their middle childhood behaviours. They use data from the Three-City Study, which is a longitudinal study that depends on different data-collection methods. It examines the welfare of low-income children and families after some social welfare reforms. Findings showed that high-quality early childhood care resulted to children with less bad behaviour problems in middle childhood. When children received more responsive, supportive, and well-structured care settings, they did not externalize behaviour problems by the time they were middle-school students. Findings also showed that these results are particularly significant for boys and African American children. Votruba-Drzal et al. (2010) conclude that high-quality early child care produce positive childhood behaviours. This article is relevant, because its research design can accurately answer the research questions. It is useful to my research, because it shows how schooling affects positive childhood behaviours. Read More