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?