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?