Nature vs Nurture 1

Nature vs Nurture

Natalie Contreras

Los Angeles Leadership Academy High School

Nature vs Nurture 2

Abstract

Within a longer than a lifetime battle between nature and nurture, researchers and

scientists have always questioned what makes a person who they really are. Whether it is

encoded in their genetics, or developed based on the environment, the big question is where do

humans get their intelligence from?

Keywords: nature, nurture, genetics, environment, intelligence

Nature vs Nurture 3

Nature v.s. nurture is a oldest issue in psychology that questions whether human

behaviour is determined by the environment, either prenatal or during a person's life, or by a

person's genes. The belief was coined by the distinguished Greek philosopher Plato when he

proclaimed that we are born with certain characteristics, such as intelligence. However Aristotle,

another famous philosopher, challenged Plato’s belief by stating that the human mind is

influenced by external forces. As time went on, a great debate emerged on whether or not

humans are born smart or if those abilities are developed with time. Despite the genetic factors

that may contribute to the intelligence of a person, intelligence is acquired through a person’s

experiences and a person’s family and own environment.

A human’s intelligence is brought out by their environmental circumstances. Although it

is true that humans inherit certain genes and traits that allow them to do commit specific actions

and survive, it is truly the environment around them that influences these genes and traits. In

Exploring psychology by David G. Meyers, the author asserts “Although genes matter, there is

no known “genius” gene” (2014). Basically, Meyers reminds his audience that a genetic

encryption for brilliance has not yet been found by man. During a TED talk at Nanyang

Technological University, Irene Gallego states “genes respond to other things as well, they

respond to the environment in which you live, they respond to the food you eat, they respond to

the decisions you make… but without the wrong environment, likelihood and chances is all they

[genes] will ever be” (2017). The purpose of this statement is to depict the relationship between

nature and nurture. To clarify, Gallego claims that although a human may possess a specific gene

that may or may not be helpful to their survival, if they are not exposed to the necessary

environment for the gene to thrive, the gene is essentially useless. Therefore, the environment is

necessary to bring out the intelligence of a human.

Nature vs Nurture 4

A human’s own environment has its own impact on the mind, but when it comes to daily

interactions, it is the family environment in which you are raised that affects your intelligence as

well. Family is a person, or a group of people that you may, or may not spend the rest for your

life with. From the beginning of your prenatal life up until death, these are the people that

influence you. The image from the “Introduction to Intelligence” report on Lumen Learning,

depicts a chart with three unnamed traits between a varying group of monozygotic twins,

siblings, and adoptive siblings. Despite monozygotic twins inheriting the same patterns of DNA,

twins raised in a common family rarely show 100% trait correlation, thus “explaining the high

amount of variance in intelligence among human beings” (2018). The family environment does

take a toll on children. According Exploring psychology by David G. Meyers, adoption of

mistreated, or neglected children as well as adoption from poverty into middle-class homes

enhances their intelligence scores. Meyers states “[i]n one large Swedish study, children adopted

into families with higher socioeconomic status and more educated parents had IQ scores

averaging 4.4 points higher than their not- adopted biological siblings” (2014). Therefore your

family definitely has an influence on the way your think.

Although the environment and its altering of genetics is definitely a huge influence on

intelligence, human experience may influence the function of their brains as well as intelligence.

In the scholarly journal, Genetics of Brain Structure and Intelligence written by Arthur W. Toga

and Paul M. Thompson, the two authors discuss the correlations between genetics and the

environment as well as neural plasticity: the ability of the brain to change throughout an

individual's life. According to the journal, “Neural plasticity in humans may also lead to use-

dependent structural adaptation in cerebral gray matter in response to environmental demands.

At the gross level observable with MRI, there is already evidence that the human brain may
Nature vs Nurture 5

adapt dynamically to reflect the cognitive demands of the environment… Increased hippocampal

volumes have also been found in taxi drivers with enhanced spatial navigation skills” (2005).

This excerpt is meant to tell it’s intended audience about how a humans experiences and

environment can take a toll on their brain and how the brain functions on a day to day basis. In

the article “Are You Born Intelligent or Does It Develop Socially?” by Hsin-Yi Cohen, the

author adds onto this belief by stating “[c]ertain studies have linked specific activities with

improved mental function. For example, one piece of research suggests that musical training can

lead to the development of higher brain functions and in particular, better mathematical ability”

(2017). With specific training, in the right environment, the brain’s function is altered for the

better and seems to benefit humans by increasing their intelligence. It is within an environment

where experience may beneficial to a human’s mind.

The human mind is made up of complex substances and somethings that are still

unknown to researchers today. Everyday, a new question about arises about the function of the

brain; however, some questions are left unanswered. Although we cannot fully explain where

humans get their intelligence from, the research and effort by other intellectuals has proven that

the environment and experience of an individual play a huge role in the brilliance of mankind.
Nature vs Nurture 6

References

Boundless Psychology. (n.d.). Retrieved May 24, 2018, from

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-psychology/chapter/introduction-to-intelli

ence/

Cohen, H. (2017, October 1). Are You Born Intelligent or Does It Develop Socially? Retrieved

from http://www.aboutintelligence.co.uk/are-born-intelligent-does-develop-socially.html

Myers, D. G., & DeWall, C. N. (2014). Exploring psychology. NY, NY: Worth. Page 411
“The Battle between Nature and Nurture | Irene Gallego Romero | TEDxNTU.” YouTube, 11

Apr.

2017, youtu.be/uXIW_m0lo0U.

Toga, A. W., & Thompson, P. M. (2005). Genetics Of Brain Structure And Intelligence. Annual

Review of Neuroscience,28(1), 1-23. doi:10.1146/annurev.neuro.28.061604.135655