Human Behavior

Part One

Human behavior and personality are most shaped by a person environment. Human growth and development is influenced by a several factors, many of which are beyond our control (Franco, 2011). While most theories agree it is both genetics and a persons environment that shape personality if one was more influential it would be the environment. While a person may have a genetic tendency to develop a particular behavior or trait, the environment of the person is needed to shape this behavior or trait. This leads to the age old question of nature versus nurture. The environment plays a stronger role because children learn from their environment and are shaped by what they learn.

Genes may predispose people to a behavior but it is unlikely this behavior would appear without the influence of the environment (Saab 2013). A person environment can be loving and nurturing resulting a happy and well rounded adult or their environment could have consisted of neglect and abuse resulting in the adult growing up with certain dysfunctions or abnormalities. Even though the person with the loving and nurturing environment was adopted and genetically was passed a criminal gene does not necessarily mean they will end up being criminals. On the other hand if the person learned they come from a family of criminals this could impact their development.

Part Two

If scientists manipulate genes it could change who people are and what their culture represents. Genetics lay an important part in defining different groups in society. If scientists started manipulating genes these groups may not be as distinctive. Manipulating genes is considered playing God by some because these manipulations result in the development of abnormalities or create damage to the original culture.

If environments were manipulated it would have an impact on social, work, and cultural environments because every aspect of an environment can impact human development. For example if someone manipulates a person social environment by suddenly removing a teenager from all of their friends and family and placing them in an environment where there is not contact with anyone but their parents, the teen would adapt to the environment but it would cause major changes to their personality development and the behavior they display. The same would occur in a work environment or to a greater culture.