By Antoine “King Toine” Wright, September 7th, 2022.
The question of nature versus nurture has existed for many centuries, and scientists still cannot provide a definite answer to it. Personally, I believe both factors bear equal importance and significantly contribute to the progress of one person’s development. Numerous studies have shown that some individual characteristics are to a considerable extent predetermined by genetics, for instance, I.Q. is influenced by the environment by 25%.
Another example can be diseases that run in families and can’t be prevented by a person even if they invest all their efforts in an attempt to counter them. People are inherently social beings who possess the ability to adapt to various environments and adjust their behavior depending on their particular societies. I believe that Erikson’s Psychological Theory is the perspective that provides one of the best explanations of how a person undergoes different periods on their lives, which shapes their personality.
The eight stages outlined by Erikson are very helpful when analyzing cases of human development, and they provide an insight into different aspects of the process. My coincidence in the support of the approach is mostly anecdotal and can be drawn from various experiences and situations observed. One researcher used the theory to study the violence among children living on the street and found that their situations prevent them from going through developmental stages, which negatively impacts their lives. Therefore, despite the fact that nature plays a major role in human development, the importance of nurture should not be underestimated.
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