PSYCH Nature vs Nurture Essay

Introduction Paragraph

Intro Sentence:

• I have always heard about nature and nurture, but never really knew or even understood the difference. After learning about it, I think I have a better understanding now.

Explain that nature refers to genetic/biological influences that influence traits from birth, while nurture refers to environmental/learning influences like upbringing and experience.

Explain how psychology shows how they interact well with each other instead of bad:

• In order to continue to grow and learn, it is very important that your experiences work with your biological makeup to bring positive outcomes in your life

Thesis Statement:

• The interplay between nature and nurture in psychological theories and findings is shown through behavior, development, and personality where they work together to influence psychological processes.

Body Paragraph #1

Topic Sentence:

• Behavior is influenced both my biological factors and by learning from the environment.

Nature ex:

• An example of how it is influenced by biological factors is shown in that we are biologically predisposed to fear certain threats. We are naturally scared of some things and at least a little bit of that fear will always be there.

Nurture ex:

• An example of how it is influenced by learning from the environment is shown in the behavioral learning theory. This theory includes classical conditioning and operant conditioning which show how what we learn and how we learn affects what we do everyday. This shows that our behavior is shaped through conditioning and reinforcement.

Specific ex:

• An example of nature and nurture working together through behavior is shown through how you might be born more likely to feel anxious, but you usually develop a specific fear because something scary happened to you.

This also relates to development and how we grow in life.

Body Paragraph #2

Topic Sentence:

• Development is also influenced both my biological factors and by learning from the environment.

Nature ex:

• An example of how it is influenced by biological factors is shown in that a lot of our brain development is influenced by genetics. Our genes have a big part in our brain growing to see what abilities we are ready for at certain stages of our life.

Nurture ex:

• An example of how it is influenced by learning from the environment is shown through parenting styles. How children are raised affects their development greatly. If a child has horrible and abusive parents, their development will be off and slower, but if a child has really supportive good parents, then their development will probably be a lot better.

Specific ex:

• An example of nature and nurture working together through development is that babies a naturally wired to bond with their parents, but they way they attach depends on how their parents react to them.

This also relates to how our personality is created and developed.

Body Paragraph #3

Topic Sentence:

• Personality is also influenced both my biological factors and by learning from the environment.

Nature ex:

• An example of how it is influenced by biological factors is shown in that there are twin studies that show that traits like being outgoing or anxious can be partly passed down from parents.

Nurture ex:

• An example of how it is influenced by learning from the environment is shown in that even if someone is born with a specific trait, their experiences can affect how that trait is shown in them.

Specific ex:

• An example of nature and nurture working together through personality is shown through how a child might be born with a naturally shy temperament, but if they surround themself with confident and supportive people, then they may change to be more outgoing.

Conclusion

• Restate that psychological processes are best understood through the interaction of nature and nurture

• Highlight that behavior, development, and personality all demonstrate this interplay

• End by emphasizing that neither nature or nurture alone fully explains human psychology, but that it's their combination that matters