Free Essays on Nature Vs. Nurture

There is a continuing debate about the factors that contribute most strongly to human development. In sociology and psychology this debate centers on the nature vs. nature viewpoints of human development. Which argument is stronger? Let’s look at them both and see. If a person believes totally in the nurture theory, they argue that a newborn baby is a â€Å"tabula rosa,† (Latin term that means blank tablet). As such, onto this blank tablet, all values, behaviors, developmental processes, are written into the baby’s mind by the infant’s environment, and this is how we all learn. However, critics of the nurture theory argue that if you go to a hospital nursery viewing area, you will notice that each newborn is not the same as the others. Some of the babies will have their eyes open, and others will be asleep most of the time. Others will cry incessantly, yet another may have to be woken up just to get fed. These people conclude that there must be some genetics involved in personality development (Lewontin, Rose, & Kamin 1984). Where the argument gets tricky is that some research has demonstrated that genetic factors are generally more important in such characteristics as intelligence or temperament, and less important in determining values, ideals and beliefs (Washburn 194). However, most recent research has led social scientists to hold the opinion that there is an interaction between genetic and environmental factors. What this means is that heredity determines a number of possible behavioral outcomes, but the environment ultimately determines the behavior. How does the nature vs. nurture controversy apply specifically to sociology? There are numerous areas regarding socialization and social development where this question still remains. In the past, social scientists have learned very heavily on the side of the nurture viewpoint in the debate. According to this view, what humans do has been explained by social environment, le... Free Essays on Nature Vs. Nurture Free Essays on Nature Vs. Nurture Nature vs. Nurture There is and has always been a large controversy over whether inherited genes or the environment influences and effects our personality, development, behavior, intelligence and ability. This controversy is most often recognized as the nature verses nurture conflict. Some people believe that it is strictly genes that affect our ways of life, others believe that it is the environment that affects us, and some believe that both of these influence our behavior. Either way, social scientists have been struggling for centuries deciding whether our personalities are born or made. Tests are done often on identical twins that were separated to see how they are each influenced by their separate environments. In the past twenty years, it has been discovered that there is a genetic component to every human trait and behavior. However, genetic influence on traits and behavior is partial because genetics account on average for half of the variation of most traits. Urie Bronfrenbrenner, who studies genetics, said, "It is not nature vs. nurture, but the interaction of nature and nurture that drives development. "Researchers are finding that the balance between genetic and environmental influences for certain traits change as people get older. Also, people may react to us in a certain way because of a genetically influenced personality and, we may choose certain experiences because they fit best with our instinctive preferences. This means that our experiences may be influenced by our genetic tendencies. One way researchers study the development of traits and behaviors is by measuring the influence of genetics through out ones life span, and it is found to be that the genetic influence on cert ain trait increase as people age. A research was done to see whether a trait would show up in a child if it was environmentally influenced or genetically influenced. A child was given more negative attention than another was, and it incr... Free Essays on Nature Vs. Nurture Nature vs. Nurture Nature is a fairly specific term. It refers to genetic material that controls one’s appearance, temperaments, and abilities. These are a preset list that cannot be altered and is inherited from the mother and father. This can include things such as eye color, height, ability to do math or learn a language, patience or temper and many, many more. Some of these things such as temper are debated as to whether or not they are part of your internal nature, which makes nature versus nurture an even more complex debate. One of the earliest signs of genes showing through is the first emotions. Only hours after being born, babies in the nursery will feel sympathy and empathy for each other and when one starts to cry, others start to cry too. They are not taught to do this, they have only barely had contact with adults, it’s just natural. Emotions are basically pre-programmed. Everyone is born with the genetic ability to express emotions of a large variety from joy to rage to fea r, but they have to be in a situation that brings them out. For example, a baby will not experience rage randomly. It would probably occur later in life when the child is older and he or she gets in an argument. All people are born with their own genetic makeup. Some have more athletic ability than others, some are better students than others or some are more evil than others. Curtain things come naturally for curtain people which is why people are so unique. If some try to kill because its natural for them should people see, "They are just trying to find themselves". No, every man has free will so they need to make a choice. If every person has their own genetic problems, but have free will, doesn’t that still give them the ability to make their own conscience decision for their actions? Yes, every person has a conscience so they can’t use the excuse, that didn’t know it was wrong. People have been trying this excuse for ... Free Essays on Nature Vs. Nurture There is a continuing debate about the factors that contribute most strongly to human development. In sociology and psychology this debate centers on the nature vs. nature viewpoints of human development. Which argument is stronger? Let’s look at them both and see. If a person believes totally in the nurture theory, they argue that a newborn baby is a â€Å"tabula rosa,† (Latin term that means blank tablet). As such, onto this blank tablet, all values, behaviors, developmental processes, are written into the baby’s mind by the infant’s environment, and this is how we all learn. However, critics of the nurture theory argue that if you go to a hospital nursery viewing area, you will notice that each newborn is not the same as the others. Some of the babies will have their eyes open, and others will be asleep most of the time. Others will cry incessantly, yet another may have to be woken up just to get fed. These people conclude that there must be some genetics involved in personality development (Lewontin, Rose, & Kamin 1984). Where the argument gets tricky is that some research has demonstrated that genetic factors are generally more important in such characteristics as intelligence or temperament, and less important in determining values, ideals and beliefs (Washburn 194). However, most recent research has led social scientists to hold the opinion that there is an interaction between genetic and environmental factors. What this means is that heredity determines a number of possible behavioral outcomes, but the environment ultimately determines the behavior. How does the nature vs. nurture controversy apply specifically to sociology? There are numerous areas regarding socialization and social development where this question still remains. In the past, social scientists have learned very heavily on the side of the nurture viewpoint in the debate. According to this view, what humans do has been explained by social environment, le...

Spanish Phrases Referring to Parts of the Body

Spanish Phrases Referring to Parts of the Body In Spanish, you can open your ears as well as your eyes, and something that fits perfectly is like a ring on a finger instead of a glove on a hand. The language has hundreds of phrases and colloquial expressions that include the names of body parts. Here are some of the most common or interesting; each phrase below is followed by a literal translation and then a common English translation followed by a sample sentence. Note that many of the sentence translations are not literal. Brazo (Arm) dar el brazo a torcer (to give ones arm to be turned) - to give up, to be persuaded - Era el equipo que no dio el brazo a torcer en busca del gol. (It was the team that never gave up in pursuit of the goal.)nacer con un pan bajo el brazo (to be born with a loaf of bread under the arm) - to be born with a silver spoon in ones mouth - La hija de los actores nacer con un pan bajo el brazo. (The actors daughter will be born with a silver spoon in her mouth.) Cabeza (Head) andar de cabeza (to be heady) - to be busy, to have a full plate - Solo son las 11 de la maà ±ana y ya ando de cabeza. (Its only 11 a.m. and already Im swamped with plenty to do.)andar mal de la cabeza (to be bad in the head) - to be crazy, to not think straight - Creo que yo no soy el que anda mal de la cabeza. (I know Im not the one who needs my head examined.)cabeza frà ­a (cool head) - said of someone who remains calm or rational - La expulsià ³n del jugador es totalmente justificada. Nunca tiene la cabeza frà ­a. (The players expulsion is totally justified. Hes always a hot head.)cabeza hueca (hollow head) - said of someone stupid - La persona de madurez no tiene la cabeza hueca. (The mature person isnt an air head.) One common synonym is cabeza de chorlito, equivalent of the English bird brain. Other synonyms include cabeza de melà ³n (melon head) and cabeza de calabaza (pumpkin head). Cerebro (Brain) cerebro de mosquito (mosquito brain) - bird brain, stupid person - Parece que tu cerebro de mosquito no te deja comprender lo que yo escribà ­.  (It seems that your bird brain doesnt let you understand what I wrote you.)cerebro gris (gray brain) - someone who is in charge behind the scenes. - El profesor niega ser el cerebro gris del presidente. (The professor denies being the hidden brains behind the president.)lavar el cerebro (to wash the brain) - to brainwash, although the Spanish term doesnt always come across as pejorative as the English one - Me lavà ³ el cerebro y me convencià ³ de irnos a festejar Aà ±o Nuevo. (She brainwashed me and convinced me to go with her to celebrate New Years.) Codo (Elbow) codo con codo, codo a codo (elbow to elbow) - side by side; in cooperation with others - Estudiaron codo a codo por una hora. (They studied together for an hour.)empinar el codo, levantar de codo (to lift ones elbow) - to drink alcoholic beverages - Despuà ©s de la pesca, empinaron el codo y se durmieron. (After fishing, they drank a few and fell asleep.) Dedo (Finger) chuparse el dedo (to suck ones thumb) - to be naive, foolish or unknowledgeable; to see someone else as such - No me digas que tu perro comià ³ tus tareas.  ¡No me chupo el dedo! (Dont tell me the dog ate your homework. I wasnt born yesterday!)como anillo al dedo (like a ring on a finger) - perfectly timed or perfectly suitable for the situation - La oportunidad vino como anillo al dedo. (The opportunity came to me at the perfect time.)no tener dos dedos de frente (to not have two fingers of a forehead; the phrase comes from a time when it was believed that the size and shape of the forehead was an indicator of intelligence) - to be stupid, to be as smart as a fence post, to not be the sharpest tool in the shed, etc. - El que se crea eso no tiene dos dedos de frente. (Whoever believes that isnt very bright.)sin mover un dedo (without moving a finger) - without lifting a finger - Es posible tener à ©xito en los negocios sin mover un dedo. (It is possible to be successful i n business without lifting a finger.) tapar el Sol con un dedo (to hide the sun with ones finger) - to ignore reality, to bury ones head in the sand - Tapa el sol con el dedo cuando trata de defender lo indefendible. (Hes ignoring reality when he tries to defend the indefensible.) Espalda (Back) cubrir las espaldas (to cover someones back) - to protect someone, to have someones back - Te cubro las espaldas. Todo est bajo control. (I have your back. Everything is under control.)volver la espalda (to turn ones back) - to turn ones back - No me respondià ³ antes me volvià ³ la espalda. (He did not answer me before turning his back on me.) Nariz (Nose or Nostril) darle en la nariz (to be given in the nose) - to be suspicious - Me da en la nariz que la respuesta de mi padre es no. (I have a suspicion that my fathers answer is no.)no ver ms all de sus narices (to not see beyond ones nostrils) - to not see beyond the end of ones nose - Esta generacià ³n de polà ­ticos no ve ms all de sus narices e intereses. (This generation of politicians cant see beyond their noses and own interests.) Oà ­do (Ear) abrir los oà ­dos (to open ones ears) - to pay attention - Los escolares abren los oà ­dos al cambio climtico. (Scholars are paying attention to climate change.)entrarle por un oà ­do y salirle por el otro (to go in one ear and out the other) - to go in one ear and out the other - Las palabras de su hermano le entraron por un oà ­do y le salieron por el otro, sin afectarla en absoluto (Her brothers words went in one ear and out the other without affecting her in the least.)prestar oà ­do (to lend an ear) - to pay attention - Elena no prestaba oà ­do a las disculpas. (Elena didnt pay attention to the excuses.) Ojo (Eye) costar un ojo de la cara (to cost an eye from ones face) - to cost an arm and a leg - Viajar al oriente del paà ­s te costar un ojo de la cara. (Traveling to the eastern part of the country will cost you an arm and a leg.)echar un ojo (to throw a look) - to take a look - Vamos a echar un ojo a lo que dice. (Were going to take a look at what hes saying.)en el ojo del huracn (in the eye of the hurricane ) - in the center of a controversy, in the center of the storm - Le diseà ±adora est en el ojo del huracn por la extrema delgadez de sus modelos. (The designer is in the hot seat because of the extreme thinness of her models.)tener ojo de lince (to have a lynx eye) - to have good vision, literally or figuratively; to have eagle eyes - Nuestro contador tiene ojo de lince para detectar pequeà ±as  irregularidades. (Our accountant has eagle eyes for finding tiny irregularities.) Pecho (Chest, Breasts) dar pecho, dar el pecho (to give the breast) - to breastfeed -  ¿Necesitan proteccià ³n institucional las mujeres que dan el pecho en pà ºblico? (Do women who breastfeed in public need institutional protection?)tener un corazà ³n que no le cabe en el pecho (to have a heart too big to fit in his/her chest) - to be big-hearted or generous - En ms de una ocasià ³n ha demostrado que tiene un corazà ³n que no le cabe en el pecho. (More than once she has shown herself to be very generous.) Pie y Cabeza (Foot and Head) de pies a cabeza (from feet to head) - from head to toe - Mi hijo est tatuado de pies a cabeza con varios diseà ±os. (My son is tattooed from head to toe with various designs.)sin pies ni cabeza (without feet nor head) - making no sense; without rhyme or reason - El puente a ninguna parte es un proyecto sin pies ni cabeza. (The bridge to nowhere is a senseless project.) Pierna (Leg) dormir a pierna suelta (to sleep with a leg that is free to move; the phrase comes from the days when prisoners would sleep better if their legs werent chained to prevent escape) - to sleep like a log - Nuestro bebà © dormà ­a a pierna suelta y no se despertà ³ nunca por el ruido. (Our baby slept like a log and never woke up because of the noise.)hacer piernas (to do legs) - to get exercise - Hace 15 aà ±os, cuando empecà © a entrenar, me dije, No necesito hacer piernas porque ya tengo mà ºsculos muy grandes. (Fifteen years ago, when I began training, I told myself, I dont need to exercise because I already have big muscles.)