Do you think nature or nurture have more of an effect on who we are?

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   ConspireToInspireposted 14 years ago

   Do you think nature or nurture have more of an effect on who we are?
   
   Nature being genetics and heritage, and nurture being our environment and our experiences as we grow.

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2. 61

   Alternative Primeposted 14 years ago

   I think both are integral aspects of whom we ultimately evolve into over time. Intertwined and commingled to a certain extent.
   
   "Nature" can also pertain to the proposed natural selection process of evolution introduced by Charles Darwin as a result of extensive studies in the Galapagos Islands decades ago. An  archive of findings and theories which are widely accepted by many and somewhat controversial for those who may believe in a myriad of alternatives.
   
   I believe the "Nurturing" aspect provides the foundation for our overall character, morals, abilities to a certain extent, personality distinctions, or lack there of.  Too many components of the "Nurture" element to mention in one single answer......Time to defer to other contributors.....

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   Daffy Duckposted 14 years ago

   They both have equal affect on our lives.  If we get a great deal of 1 more than the other it will show by how we act.  When we are young everything makes an impression.

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   silverlungsposted 14 years ago

   I think both aspects play a large part, whether that part is equal however I am unsure. We obviously learn a lot through our genetics and heritage, and are somewhat "programmed" to be a certain type of person as such, yet nurture can complete recreate us as a people. Depending on where we grow up, and the experiences we go through they will alter and change us as people as much as we let them. I believe both will continue to influence us all as we grow and adapt to new situations.

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   lburmasterposted 14 years ago

   Both effect who you are, however they are not equal. Nature is 60% and nurture is 40%. Actually there was an experiment done for this. To test the theory they found twins who were seperated at birth when they were fully grown. Some of the twins bought the same clothes, shopped the same stores, had the same views, the same watches, read the same books, etc. The test was highly interesting and educational.

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   Rock_njposted 14 years ago

   Nature makes you who you are, but unless people are very strong willed (and some certainly are), then it seems to me that nurture has the greater effect on who we are.  Look at how many people just conform to their peers.  That's nurture at work.

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   ConspireToInspireposted 14 years ago

   I agree with all of you, but it seems nurture has a more blatant effect and nature just kinda pulls the strings from the back round, but then again it could be thought of visa versa. Iburmaster, that study is extremely interesting, ill have to look it up. This is something i have pondered about for a long time. Ive always kind of leaned towards nurture, but i think thats because that's what effects me more, as an individual. Thanks for answering guys, inspirational!

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   duffsmomposted 14 years ago

   I've had two children, and from the say they were born, they were totally different people, brought up in the same environment.  I do not believe we are blank slates when we are born.
   
   But environment also plays a huge role.  You can't discount one or the other.

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   skribblesposted 14 years ago

   Both have an effect on who we become. One might shape us more depending on which affects us greater but they both play a part in who we become.

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    connorjposted 13 years ago

    It may be wise or otherwise to look at this as having 3 possible outcome-fields; namely,
    (1) Nature (2) Nurture (3) Nature & Nurture (mix). Who we become will be dependent on the intensity of these 3 fields (NOTE: Not 2) acting on us.  Their relative degree of application will indeed shape our life. Who we are may perhaps be the 'fingerprint" of Na, Nu and NaNu (NOTE: NaNu was a Robin Williams character in a sitcom, I think) or do I? 
    If it was possible to first create a standard measure of NaNu then we could begin to place signatures on different people's lives and maybe perhaps begin to test the effects...

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