THE UNENDING DEBATE

The debate surrounding the issue of “heredity or environment” being the determining factor of human behavior and traits is quite enriching. The debate revolves around the notion that whether heredity plays a greater role or is the environment a bigger determinant. The inclination of one towards either of the two factors is seen to be determined by the discipline through which one has been brought up. This diversity in the group is what enriches the discussions and debates.

Digging deeper to the issue, the first and foremost question that crosses our mind is that whether heredity is what that determines our behavior/traits or is that we a shaped by our environment? Supposing that all our physical structure such as the eyes, the freckle etc. are inherited form the parents, where does our personality, talent etc. come from?

Some scientist are of the firm believe that people behave as they do according to the genetic predispositions which they termed it the “nature” theory of human behavior. The proponent of this theory holds that some of human abstract traits such as personality, intelligence, sexual orientation etc. are encoded in the DNA.

On the contrary, some scientist discounting the genetic dimension propagated that human behavior is shaped by the environment through his upbringing. This concept is termed the “nurture” theory of human behavior. The proponents of this theory play down the influence of genetic in shaping human behavior.

This “nature vs. nurture” debate has been an issue where no clear-cut conclusion has been reached. As such, the issue needs to be contextualized and simplified to make it relevant to our practice. It is undeniable that both the “heredity and environment” had a crucial role in determining human behavior and traits. However, as a practitioner who strives to bring changes in the educational environment of the children the rationality is more on the environmental aspect. After all, we cannot influence the heredity of a child, but we can influence the environment.