Nature Versus Nurture

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The debatable topic of nature versus nurture goes back to the beginning of time.

Nature: Describes the genetic make-up of a child including physical make-up.

Nurture: Describes the person’s environment and things a person learns to do.

Let's look at an example of twins, Sally and Suzie.

The twins are identical in nature—meaning they are monozygotic. Sally was brought up in the Northeast and raised with Christian values. Suzie was brought up in the Southwest and raised with Jewish values. Both of the girls never knew the other existed. When the girls graduated from high school, they both attended the same college. The girls eventually met in a class and they were surprised to see a person whom looked identical to what they saw in the mirror. The girls did find out, eventually, they were twins. Now, even though they were raised with different religions and in different parts of the country, do you think the girls will be similar? If you are looking at this situation from a nature perspective you would believe that due to the twin's genetics and their intelligence, they both attended the same university since they share the same biological parents. The fact the girls share the same parents would not make it too much of a coincidence they chose to attend the same university.

If you are looking at the girls from a nurture perspective, you would believe that although the girls were raised in separate parts of the country with different values and beliefs, their environments were what made them into who they are today. This environment would have to be similar to get each girl to choose the same university.

Which do you think? Is it nature or nurture? Remember, there is no correct answer— this is a theory.

Monozygotic: An egg that was fertilized by one sperm and split into two. twins who have the same DNA make-up.