“…man is a bundle of relations, a knot of roots,
whose flower and fruitage is the world…”
The above quoted lines of Ralph Waldo Emerson speak volume regarding the nature versus nurture debate which has been going on since the traditional times. As opined by Beaver, Barnes and Boutwell (2014), the human beings are a rational creature and generally like to know the mechanisms of the things which are happening or the reasons for their occurrence. Lock and Palsson (2016) are of the viewpoint that the net result of this is the fact that the human beings have tried to rationalize their own personality as well as actions on the basis of the knowledge that they gained. It is pertinent to note that people hold different viewpoints regarding the behavior of the human beings and also the factors which influence the behavior of the human beings. In this context, it needs to be said that there are individuals who are viewpoint that the behavior of the human beings is determined to a great extent by the environment in which the concerned individual dwells, their parentage or other similar factors that wield a substantial influence on their life (Tabery, 2014). On the other hand, there are people who are of the viewpoint that the concept of genetics or the genes of an individual are the sole deciding factors of the actions or the behavior of the human beings (Gottlieb, 2014). This paper intends to shed light on the process of personality development and the “Nature Versus Nurture: An Age Old Debate” by means of shedding light on the LGBTQ issues.
Sasaki and Kim (2017) are of the viewpoint that the personality of an individual can be defined as the conglomeration of the different character traits, emotions, cognitions and other aspects which determine greatly the actions or the behaviour of an individual. As opined by Gadjev (2015), these aspects of the personality of an individual are greatly dependent on the external environment in which an individual dwells and also the biological factors. More importantly, it is seen that the construct of personality not only determines the actions or the behaviour of an individual but at the same time contributes in a substantial manner towards the identity of the concerned individual as well (Felix, 2016). This can be explained on the basis of the fact that the individuals are judged as well as identified on the basis of the actions that they perform or the kind of behaviour that they display. Furthermore, it is seen that the machinery of personality not only lends distinctiveness to the people but at the same time makes them unique as well (Conrad, 2016). In this regard, it needs to be said that the personality of one individual is different from another individual and it is on the basis of this aspect that one individual is distinguished from another one. Thus, it can be said that personality forms an integral part of the lives as well as the identity of the human beings and this is one of the major reasons why the notion of personality has gained such prominence in the contemporary world.
As opined by Elliot (2016), the unprecedented significance that the notion of personality has gained within the contemporary world in turn gets reflected in the insistence of the individuals on the process of personality development. For example, it is seen that because of the correlation that personality has with the aspect of the identity, individuals are increasingly resorting to the use of the construct of personality development. Lock and Palsson (2016) are of the viewpoint that the process of personality development helps the individuals to effectively channelize their own thoughts, emotions, cognition and other aspects of their lives so as to gain an effective understanding of themselves. More importantly, the tool of personality development at the same time helps the individuals to understand the environment or the society in which they dwell in a much more effective manner through the development of their physical as well as mental response (Schultz & Schultz, 2016). Recent researches have suggested that the individuals who undertake the personality development have a far greater chance of having an effective understanding of themselves and also their surrounding environment than the ones who do not indulge in such processes (Conrad, 2016).
As stated by Gottlieb (2014), the “Nature versus Nurture” is perhaps one of the oldest debates of the world which has been going on since the dawn of the human civilization. The central focus of this debate is to understand which factor, namely, the natural environment, upbringing, parentage and others or the genes of an individual determine the actions as well as the behavior of the human beings (Gray, 2017). It is pertinent to note that since the traditional times it had been believed that the natural environment, upbringing, parentage and other kinds of similar factors were the major ones which determined the actions and also the behavior of the human being (Breedlove, 2017). In this regard, it needs to be said that various authors as well as philosophers like Aristotle, Plato, Descartes, Emerson and others concur with this viewpoint and have even gone to the extent of scholarly works on the same (Ah-King, 2018). For example, John Locke in his famous work “Essay Concerning Human Understanding” said, “Let us then suppose the mind to be, as we say, white paper void of all characters, without any ideas….Whence has it all the materials of reason and knowledge? To this I answer, in one word, from Experience” (Breedlove, 2017). Immanuel Kant also reiterated this viewpoint in his famous work “Idea for a Universal History from a Cosmopolitan Point of View” has stated, “Whatever concept one may hold….human actions, like every other natural event, are determined by universal laws….single individual may be seen from the standpoint of the human race as a whole to be a steady and progressive though slow evolution of its original endowment” (Gray, 2017).
Wang and Kosinski (2018) are of the viewpoint that the advancements which the human beings have made in the fields of science and technology has not only improved the quality of their lives but at the same time helped them to understand the important aspects of their own lives. For example, in the earlier times it the human beings held the viewpoint that the human beings are the creation of God however Darwin’s “The Origin of Species” clearly showed that the human beings have evolved from apes (Lock & Palsson, 2016). In addition to this, the recent developments that has taken place in the field of genetics has also helped the human beings to gain an understanding regarding themselves and also offers an insight into their own behavior or actions (Tan, 2018). For example, it is seen that the genes that an individual had inherited from their parents or family members not only determines the physical features of theirs but at the same time influences the behavior or the actions of the individuals (Psychologicalscience.org, 2018). In this regard, it needs to be said that if the parents of an individual have a high of intelligence then it is likely that the offspring of these individuals would also be an intellectual person and vice versa because of the genes that the concerned individual had gained from their parents. More importantly, recent researches have even suggested that the human beings inherit the majority of their character as well as behavior traits from their parents (Sasaki & Kim, 2017). This can be explained on the basis of the fact that the genes from both the parents are being transferred to the offspring at the very initial stages of fertilization and also the formulation of the cells of the offspring. The net result of this is the fact that many of the character as well as well as behavior traits of the parents and also the family members are present in that of the offspring. Thus, it can be said that the genes or the genetics of the individuals also determine greatly the actions as well as the behavior traits of the human beings.
Golombok et al. (2014) are of the viewpoint that the LGBTQ issues had become the catch phrase of the 21st century and at the same time is an important one from the perspective of the modern society or the world at large. The acronym LGBTQ stands for “lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer” kinds of person who show a variance from the normal or the standard sexual preferences normally shown by the common people of the world (Browning, 2016). As opined by Jourian (2015), the personality or the identity of the individuals depends greatly on the kind of sexual preferences that they display. In this regard, it needs to be said that since the traditional times the human beings have been expected to display normal sexual preferences wherein a man is supposed to have sexual desires for a woman and vice versa (Ah-King, 2018). More importantly, it has been seen that there has latent deviant tendencies in the human beings since the traditional times yet they have been suppressed not only the human beings but at the same time by the human society in which they lived (Gegenfurtner & Gebhardt, 2017). This can be seen as the net result of the various punishments which were levied on the individuals who dared to go beyond the normal conventions established by the human society. However, in the recent times, it is seen that this trend has changed in a substantial manner and the individuals who increasingly accepting these queer sexually conventions and they are even getting recognition from the society as well as the nation in which they dwell (Joslyn & Haider?Markel, 2016). In this regard, it needs to be said that the national governments of the various nations of the world like Canada, Australia, some of the states of the United Nations of America like California and others have legalised this kind of sexual preferences or orientation of the people (Ah-King, 2018). As a matter of fact, it is seen that these individuals are entitled to the same kind of rights or privileges that the other people of the nation are entitle and strict legal action is being taken against the individuals or institutions which try to infringe the basic human rights of these individuals (Gray, 2017). This is important since in the earlier ages the individuals who had sexual orientations other than the ones propounded by the society were not only deprived of their basic human rights but at the same time had to face the stigma of the society as well. The net result of this the fact that these queer kinds of sexual orientations are not only being readily accepted by the people but at the same time they have become the norm of the modern society as well.
The LGBTQ issue when analysed through the lens of the nature versus nurture debate is likely to reveal insightful information which will in turn help in a far better understanding of the debate itself. It is pertinent to note in this context that the environmental factors, parentage, upbringing and also the genes that the individuals had inherited from their parents play a significant role in these kinds of sexual deviance. Joslyn and Haider?Markel (2016) are of the viewpoint that the one of the most important results of the stringent hold of the society on the lives of the individuals since the traditional times was the fact that the individuals had to suppress their queer sexual desires and lead a normal life because of the fear of punishment that might be imposed on them. However, in the recent times, the acceptance of these queer sexual orientations acts as the motivational factors for these individuals to openly embrace these kinds of sexual orientations (Breedlove, 2017). More importantly, the influence of the peers and also the family members is another factor on the basis of which these kinds of deviances on the part of the individuals can be justified. For example, recent researches have suggested that the individuals who had a gay or similar kind of friends or family members are more likely to display these kinds of sexual orientations than the ones who do not have (Wang & Kosinski, 2018). In addition to this, it is also seen that if the parents of an individual are having or had marital problems in their marriage then this can also affect the sexual preferences or the orientation of the individuals in a substantial manner (Jourian, 2015). Furthermore, another important trend seen among these kinds of individuals is the fact that they are mostly the individuals who had very limited amount of sexual interaction with the people from other sexes in the early formational years of their life (Browning, 2016). This can in turn lead them to display queer sexual orientation in the later part of their lives however this is not always true. Thus, it can be said that the natural environment, parentage, upbringing and other similar kinds of factors have an important role in the lives of the lives of the people who display queer sexual orientation.
As opined by Conrad (2016), the role played by genetics in the individuals with queer sexual orientation can in no way be undermined for the queer sexual preferences that these individuals display. According to Psychologicalscience.org (2018), “Various biological factors—including prenatal hormones and specific genetic profiles—are likely to contribute to sexual orientation, though they are not the sole cause”. More importantly, as per another scientific research conducted in the year 1983 it was revealed that there are slight genetic variations in the X chromosomes of the men who display sexual preferences for the other men (Tan, 2018). Furthermore, in the year 1995, the scientists pinpointed this variation as “a region on chromosome 8” (Tan, 2018). Further research works conducted in subsequent times through a comparison of the DNA of more than “1077 gay and 1231 straight men” also revealed the same fact (Psychologicalscience.org, 2018). Another important research work conducted by the neuroscientist Simon LeVay in 1991 revealed the fact that the size of hypothalamus in the brain of the straight and the people with deviant sexual preferences also revealed a discrepancy (Felix, 2016). As a matter of fact, the size of the hypothalamus of the people with queer sexual orientations was much smaller than the ones of the normal straight men (Felix, 2016). These scientific research works and other similar ones conducted by the scientists clearly reveal the fact that the genes of the individuals also play a pivotal role in the sexual preferences displayed by these individuals.
To conclude, the nature versus nurture debate which has been going on since the traditional times is an important one which offers an insight into the actions or the behaviors of the human beings. On the one hand, there are people who argue the fact that the environment, parentage, upbringing and other similar factors are the key deciding elements which determine the actions or the behavior of the individuals. On the other hand, there are individuals who are of the viewpoint that the genes that the individuals had inherited from their parents are the sole determining factors of the behavior or actions of the human beings. However, it is interesting to note that recent researches have revealed the fact that both of these factors play a significant role on the actions or the behavior of the individuals. This becomes apparent from an analysis of the LGBTQ issue and queer sexual behavior which has become the norm in the contemporary society. An analysis of this issue on the basis of the nature versus nurture debate clears reveals the fact that genes of the individuals and also the environment, upbringing and other similar play a vital role in the queer sexual behavior that these individuals display.
References
Ah-King, M. (2018). Queer Nature. Towards a non-normative view on biological diversity (pp. 115-132). Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG.
Beaver, K. M., Barnes, J. C., & Boutwell, B. B. (Eds.). (2014). The nurture versus biosocial debate in criminology: On the origins of criminal behavior and criminality. SAGE Publications.
Breedlove, S. M. (2017). Prenatal influences on human sexual orientation: Expectations versus data. Archives of sexual behavior, 46(6), 1583-1592.
Browning, F. (2016). The Fate of Gender: Nature, Nurture, and the Human Future. Bloomsbury Publishing USA.
Conrad, R. (2016). The Lure of the Gay Gene. The Gay and Lesbian Review, 25-28.
Elliot, P. (2016). Debates in transgender, queer, and feminist theory: Contested sites. Routledge.
Felix, M. S. (2016). Nature or Nurture? A Qualitative Study of the Source of Homosexuality. Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities, 24(4).
Gadjev, I. (2015). Nature and nurture: Lamarck’s legacy. Biological journal of the Linnean Society, 114(1), 242-247.
Gegenfurtner, A., & Gebhardt, M. (2017). Sexuality education including lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) issues in schools. Educational Research Review.
Golombok, S., Mellish, L., Jennings, S., Casey, P., Tasker, F., & Lamb, M. E. (2014). Adoptive gay father families: Parent–child relationships and children’s psychological adjustment. Child Development, 85(2), 456-468.
Gottlieb, G. (2014). Synthesizing nature-nurture: Prenatal roots of instinctive behavior. Psychology Press.
Gray, J. M. (2017). Heteronormativity without Nature: Toward a Queer Ecology. QED: A Journal in GLBTQ Worldmaking, 4(2), 137-142.
Joslyn, M. R., & Haider?Markel, D. P. (2016). Genetic attributions, immutability, and stereotypical judgments: An analysis of homosexuality. Social Science Quarterly, 97(2), 376-390.
Jourian, T. J. (2015). Evolving nature of sexual orientation and gender identity. New Directions for Student Services, 2015(152), 11-23.
Lock, M., & Palsson, G. (2016). Can science resolve the nature/nurture debate?. John Wiley & Sons.
Psychologicalscience.org, (2018). What Scientists Know—And Don’t Know—About Sexual Orientation. Retrieved from https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/releases/what-scientists-know-and-dont-know-about-sexual-orientation.html
Sasaki, J. Y., & Kim, H. S. (2017). Nature, nurture, and their interplay: A review of cultural neuroscience. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 48(1), 4-22.
Schultz, D. P., & Schultz, S. E. (2016). Theories of personality (11th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
Tabery, J. (2014). Beyond versus: The struggle to understand the interaction of nature and nurture. MIT Press.
Tan, M. (2018). Are we products of nature or nurture? Science answers age-old question. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/may/19/are-we-products-of-nature-or-nuture-science-answers-age-old-question
Wang, Y., & Kosinski, M. (2018). Deep neural networks are more accurate than humans at detecting sexual orientation from facial images. Journal of personality and social psychology, 114(2), 246.
Willey, A. (2016). Biopossibility: A queer feminist materialist science studies manifesto, with special reference to the question of monogamous behavior. Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society, 41(3), 553-577.
Essay Writing Service Features
Our Experience
No matter how complex your assignment is, we can find the right professional for your specific task. Contact Essay is an essay writing company that hires only the smartest minds to help you with your projects. Our expertise allows us to provide students with high-quality academic writing, editing & proofreading services.
Free Features
Free revision policy
$10Free bibliography & reference
$8Free title page
$8Free formatting
$8How Our Essay Writing Service Works
First, you will need to complete an order form. It's not difficult but, in case there is anything you find not to be clear, you may always call us so that we can guide you through it. On the order form, you will need to include some basic information concerning your order: subject, topic, number of pages, etc. We also encourage our clients to upload any relevant information or sources that will help.
Complete the order form
Once we have all the information and instructions that we need, we select the most suitable writer for your assignment. While everything seems to be clear, the writer, who has complete knowledge of the subject, may need clarification from you. It is at that point that you would receive a call or email from us.
Writer’s assignment
As soon as the writer has finished, it will be delivered both to the website and to your email address so that you will not miss it. If your deadline is close at hand, we will place a call to you to make sure that you receive the paper on time.
Completing the order and download