Nature vs. Nurture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Nature vs. Nurture - Essay Example s relating to the surfacing and control of behavior, but neither side sufficiently explains many of the more complicated behavior seen in the myriad of diverse species present on this earth, including humans. (Long, 2003, p. 29) Many behaviors have strong learning components, and others seen not at all influenced by experiential factors. The recent view in developmental biology suggests that the emergence of simple and complex behaviors is a result of interplay between gene expression, pre- and post-birth development, and environmental influences, including, but not limited to, sensory experience (Long, 2003, p 31) Although the beginning of life takes place in the womb, once the child begins to breath on his or her own (some would say even before), the dance between nurture and nature begins to take place. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory clearly explains the connection and relationship among living things and the environment they experience. He sates that personality and change are proximal interrelated processes, â€Å"These are reciprocal interactions between an ‘active, evolving, biopsychological human organism and the persons, object, and symbols in its immediate external environment’† (Broderick & Blewitt, 2006, p. 14). His model illustrates how social influences impacts human survival and one’s ability to thrive and reproduce. Human development is inseparable from the environmental contexts in which a child develops. His study illustrates how the four levels of environmental influence (microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem macrosystem ) impacts the full range of human development including mentally, psychologically, emotionally as well as socially. (Vander Zandan, 2000, p. 181-183). However, knowledge that is displayed at birth is most likely to be innate. Most mammalian infants have instinctive behaviors to seek out warmth, and sustenance. A human infant will be able to imitate expressions, such as a smile or sticking out their tongue in mirror