Argumentative Essay On Nature Vs Nurture

“Your genetics load the gun. Your lifestyle pulls the trigger” (Mehmet). The topic of good and evil is discussed in many pieces of literature and films. There tends to be a distinct hero and villain, the hero is portrayed as having all of the traits that people perceive as good and brave while the villains get all of the traits that are looked down upon. Psychologists have been researching if it is really as simple as one person is an all around bad or good person. They have discovered that personality is determined by two things: genes and environment, also known as nature and nurture. Nature refers to all of the genes and hereditary factors that influence who we are, from our physical appearance to our personality characteristics. Nurture …show more content…
Researchers were aware that things such as blue eyes and hair color were completely genetic but “ were surprised by certain behaviors that showed a genetic influence, such as religiosity [and] social attitudes” (Lewis). When they actually started research about the effects of genetics on personality, they were astounded by the similarity in identical twins who shared the same beliefs on issues regarding religion and other social outlooks. Since identical twins raised apart would have the same genes but different environmental experiences they were able to link those traits back to genetics. When the separated twins were brought back together “80 percent of those surveyed reported feeling closer and more familiar with their twin than they did to their best friends” (Lewis). This finding suggests a fairly strong genetic bond between the relationships of twins. Not only do they look alike and have identical genes but this allows them to share common interests that they were predisposed to like and dislike. Having a “friend” that shares all of your likes and dislikes is a great way to form a connection stretching further than being just family members. Another factor that researchers looked into was physical qualities of the twins. When looking at the environmental factor of posture “identical twins would …show more content…
These characteristics can lead a person to commit crimes and engage in aggressive behavior. Although a person 's environment does not have an immediate effect on traits, it can act as a trigger “ which can either mute or aggravate violent impulses” (Cohen). If a person has a “violent” gene and then gets put into an upsetting situation, they are likely to resort to aggressive behavior instead of trying to peacefully work through it. When studying boys who had participated in threatening behavior in the past “genes explained 80 percent of their violence” (Cohen). This shows how genes are the dominant source of how we react to certain situations. Another piece of evidence to support the claim is by studying the behaviors of children versus the behavior of the same child when they become adults. “The less self-control a child displayed at 3 years of age, the more likely he or she was to commit a crime more than 30 years later” (Cohen). This is also another indicator of how environment and personal experiences do little to change your underlying disposition. When a small child shows signs of a lack of self control, when they become older they will still lack self control which encourages them to resort to combative actions in situations that most people are able to work through calmly. When examining crimes in relation to twins “there was a higher