Nature_Nurture

Nature/Nurture The debate over the influences of the environment on development has been long standing in the field of Psychology. Differing theoretical approaches hold different points of view on what, if anything, the environment determines. Both the Behaviour Genetics, and the Structural Behavioural models of development provide insight into the understanding of the role environment plays in determining the course of development. The Behaviour Genetics approach, as discussed by Sandra Scarr, argues that genetics are the major influence in determining individual differences, (Scarr, 1996). It is these differences that allow “children [to] construct their own environments from available resources,” (Scarr, 1996, p. 205). In the Structural Behavioural model, Fran Horowitz also places importance on individual differences. In this case, however, individual differences are a product of not only genetics, but also the environment, and more importantly, the interactions between the two, (Horowitz, 1990). Horowitz (1990) asserts that individual differences are “elements in process,” ( p. 14), where as Scarr (1996) theorizes that individual differences are largely the result of differing genetic make-ups. These individual differences must be constant, and resistant to any environmental change, “unless the parents are abusive or seriously neglectful,”(Scarr, 1996, p. nature, nurture, differences, scarr, individual, genetic, 1996, environment, 1990, horowitz, environmental, development, influence, horowitz’s, genetics, behaviour, approach, however, different, 14, various, traits, theory, theories, structural, specifically, social, results, result, research, psychology, policy, parents, own, over, models, model