One of the oldest arguments in history of psychology is the nature vs nurture debate. We know that both play massive roles in human development, but nature takes the upper hand. Genetic traits passed down from your parents influence a person’s development more than the environmental factors. Characteristics such as intelligence, height, weight, eye colour and certain diseases are all related to our genes and that is what makes us who we are.
Heredity is the passing on of physical or mental characteristics genetically from one generation to another. This point can be proved using the Jim Twins case. Jim Springer and Jim Lewis were identical twins that got seperated during birth. Even though they grew up in different homes, they lived a very …show more content…
Many people think cognition is a learned process that develops over time. However, that is not the case with Isabelle, the isolated child. In this case, cognition, mental process and learning skills were predestined. Isabelle was a illegitimate and therefore isolated child. She lived the first 6 years of her life in very minimal care. Her mother was deaf and therefore communicated with Isabelle through gestures and croaking. She was also kept in a dark room, shut off from any kind of socialization and communication. When Isabelle was found, she was very malnourished, had child-like behaviour and was unable to speak. They also found out that she had the intelligence of a nineteen month child. Despite that, when Isabelle was given the opportunity to develop to her full potential, she succeeded in doing so. After 2 years of intensive training, she improved so much and was considered a normal 8 year old child. She had learned over 1500 words and was able to recite nursery rhymes and more. Because of Isabelle’s preordain capability of understanding and learning, her cognition progressed and she was able to make up for the tragic condition that constrained her improvement. Her predetermined cognition and mental process were set back in the first six years of her life, but when given the opportunity they thrived. Isabelle had no mental limitations, but she
Heredity is the passing on of physical or mental characteristics genetically from one generation to another. This point can be proved using the Jim Twins case. Jim Springer and Jim Lewis were identical twins that got seperated during birth. Even though they grew up in different homes, they lived a very …show more content…
Many people think cognition is a learned process that develops over time. However, that is not the case with Isabelle, the isolated child. In this case, cognition, mental process and learning skills were predestined. Isabelle was a illegitimate and therefore isolated child. She lived the first 6 years of her life in very minimal care. Her mother was deaf and therefore communicated with Isabelle through gestures and croaking. She was also kept in a dark room, shut off from any kind of socialization and communication. When Isabelle was found, she was very malnourished, had child-like behaviour and was unable to speak. They also found out that she had the intelligence of a nineteen month child. Despite that, when Isabelle was given the opportunity to develop to her full potential, she succeeded in doing so. After 2 years of intensive training, she improved so much and was considered a normal 8 year old child. She had learned over 1500 words and was able to recite nursery rhymes and more. Because of Isabelle’s preordain capability of understanding and learning, her cognition progressed and she was able to make up for the tragic condition that constrained her improvement. Her predetermined cognition and mental process were set back in the first six years of her life, but when given the opportunity they thrived. Isabelle had no mental limitations, but she