Assignment 2: Research on Nature vs. Nurture
Nature versus nurture is a controversial topic debated by professionals in the human services field. Your beliefs and values will influence your decision making and actions with future clients; therefore, it is important to identify where you stand on this issue.
Tasks:
Using your textbook, the Argosy University online library resources, and the Internet, conduct research to support your view on the nature versus nurture debate and respond to the following questions:
- What are your views on how nature (genetic and hereditary influences) and nurture (environmental influences) shape human development across the life span? Support your views with examples.
- Which area has more impact on human development, and why? Discuss in terms of a global impact and specific issues such as personality development, intelligence, mental illness, substance abuse, and sexual identity.
- How might your beliefs about nature versus nurture influence your future work in the human services field? For example, if an administrator at a community service board believes that mental illness is related to environmental stressors, how might this influence agency policy? What if the administrator holds the opposite belief-that mental illness can be attributed to primarily biological causes?