Understanding the nature/nurture debate

The nature/nurture debate is a key discussion in sociology and related fields. It explores whether human behaviour is mainly shaped by biological factors (nature) or by social and environmental influences (nurture). This debate helps explain why people act in certain ways, and it involves contrasting views from different experts.

Key positions in the debate

• Nature side - Argues that biology, especially genetics, plays the primary role in determining behaviour.
• Nurture side - Emphasises that the social environment, including culture and upbringing, is more important in shaping individuals.

The nature perspective

The nature argument focuses on biological factors as the main drivers of human behaviour. This view suggests that many traits are inherited through our genetic make-up, meaning they are present from birth and not learned.

Sociobiologists' views on inherited characteristics

Sociobiologists are a group of biologists who claim that behaviour originates in biology or genetic make-up. They believe people inherit key traits because genes passed from parents influence how individuals develop.

Examples of inherited traits:

• Intelligence - Cognitive abilities passed down through genetics.
• Personality - Basic temperament and character traits.
• Gendered behaviour - Many sociobiologists argue that males and females have a biologically determined predisposition to behave in masculine and feminine ways, stemming from hormonal differences.
• Aggressive tendencies - Natural inclinations toward aggressive behaviour.

The nurture perspective

In contrast, the nurture argument stresses that human behaviour is largely shaped by external factors, such as society and culture. This view challenges the idea that biology alone determines how we act, highlighting the role of learning and environment.

Key ideas in the nurture argument

People are not born with cultural values or social skills. These are clearly learned through experiences and differ over time and across the world. As a result, behaviour varies widely depending on where and when someone grows up.

This learning process, known as socialisation, plays a central role. Socialisation can differ within the same society based on factors like social class, ethnicity, religion, and gender. Social class refers to a socio-economic status based primarily on occupation and income.

Criticisms of the nature argument

Many sociologists and feminists criticise the nature perspective, arguing it overlooks the powerful influence of society. These criticisms use evidence from cultural studies to demonstrate that behaviour is not fixed by biology.

Feminist criticisms and cultural variations

Feminists argue against sociobiology by pointing out cultural differences. If gender roles were biologically determined, men and women would behave the same way in all societies. However, this is not the case; there are significant cultural variations across the world in gender behaviour.

Margaret Mead's study of the Tchambuli tribe

• Background - Anthropologist Margaret Mead conducted a famous study in the 1930s to explore gender roles in different cultures. Her research on the Tchambuli (now Chambri) tribe in Papua New Guinea provides evidence for the nurture argument.

• Results - Men and women behaved very differently compared with men and women in the West. Women were aggressive, took charge in economic activities, and were rarely involved in childcare. In contrast, men were timid, emotional, and focused on artistic pursuits and child-rearing.

Illustrations of the nurture argument: feral children

A strong way to illustrate the nature/nurture debate is through cases of feral children.

Feral children

Feral children are individuals who lack language and social skills because they have been denied regular human contact from a very young age or have supposedly been brought up by wild animals.