One of the last sections we have been reading has been the nature vs. nurture debate. I understand the whole thing about how nurture shapes what nature provides, but for me it is extremely difficult to believe that genetics shape pretty much who we are (our temperament). From personal experience, my temperament is not much like those of my brothers or my parents. My personality seems very different from the rest of my family, so I don't see how it could be related to my genetics. Also, I wasn't always the way I am... About fourth grade I changed so I was more outgoing. This was because of the people I met. This is one of the main reasons for my skepticism of the fact that nature shapes most of our temperament.
As I was mentioning in class, I have been a part of a longitudinal study since before I was born. I think some of the research in this study is being done to further test the effects of nature and nurture through the years. This is because the researchers ask my parents questions, and the researchers ask me questions as well. They may be trying to see how my opinions and feelings differ from those of my parents. Also, one of the main points of the study is to see the effects of working parents on their children. This definitely seems like the researchers are studying nurture, if you ask me...
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I have definitely come to learn that you are very different from your family. You look different and act completely different. I would agree that it is hard to believe that who you are is all based on your genes. If this were true, I think you would be much more like your parents and your brothers than you are. I still believe that your environment would affect who you are, although if you were raised in that environment all your life, don’t you think that would make you like the rest of your family too. That is why this whole thing is really confusing. Everything points to the fact that you should be the same, but yet you are completely different. I still think they may have brought the wrong baby home…
ReplyDeletei would say patrick is that you've always had your temperament but your experiences ACTIVATED it. say you were submissive and your temperament was 'alive' until the people you met. just like the book states. your genetics shape you but only when they are activated.
ReplyDeleteand as for the longitudinal study. it is most likely to study the MIDDLE CHILD. you are not going to be anything like your other siblings because of the random genes you received from your parents. the middle child is incredibly different from the family in terms of personality, temperament, and genes. I would love to see the results of the longitudinal test when they are published.
gotta love gthe world of psychology and development aiy? nothing is set in stone