Discursive essay on “Early Human Development”

Discursive essay on “Early Human Development”

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Most people acknowledge that both nature and nurture are significant in early human development. However, about which one is more essential, there is still exist a heat debate in our society. In several decades ago, people held the idea that inherited characteristics play a dominant role in early human development. But with much more evidence established, an increasing number of people began to realize that nurture is more strongly influencing early human development. This essay will outline the influences of nature and nurture on early human development through the different aspects. 

It can be argued that nature influences early human development. According to Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, he emphasized that human development is inherited and genetically programmed. For example, infants always first learn how to walk and then how to run. When infants’ neurological system could reach to a certain level of development, they could utter their first words. Human nature refers to the distinguishing characteristics, including ways of thinking, feeling and acting, that humans tend to have naturally. People can not choose their gender, the color of skin, eyes and hair and general body size. What is more, it goes without saying that people will give more and more attention to the importance of talent. When a baby is born with the sensitivity of arts, he or she may show distinctive taste of art naturally. However, even if human nature generally comes when an infant is born, it does not mean that it remains unalterable. 

However, some research shows some genes are malleable. Behaviorists such as Watson and Skinner believed that new born babies can be trained into any profession regardless of the babies’ heredity. This theory was totally different from Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. It doesn’t concern natural selection. Several examples may be clearer to explain this idea. If a mother is addicted to drugs when she is pregnant, the normal process of growing up would, to some extent, be affected. What is more, the infant would be born with some weird diseases or be disabled for the simple reason that the pregnant women do not lead a well-organized life which may be really harmful to baby, such as eating spicy food and watching too much horror movies. It is amazing that such small habits can alter some genes. The truth is that children may follow the same sequence of motor development, but they really go through the same sequence at different rates by the influence of environment. 
 
 
 
 
 

Additionally, nurture will also influence early human development via other factors and the most obvious factor is extra stimulation.   It is accepted that regular stimulation will help children grow up healthily. For example, they could learn faster in how to walk than their peers. Secondly, the environment can accelerate the process of growing up. Family and society also can have an impact on early human development. Proper care and better living conditions can be beneficial for the process of children’s’ growing up. Children who live in a warm family and a

society with an excellent education system seem to be more intelligent. According to Kagan (1979), children will talk earlier in a speechlike sound surrounding. 

In summary, heredity and environment both impact the early development of human. Nature may decide the characteristics of an infant when they were just born. However, nurture has more influences on human development in the future. 

Moreover, nurture, which can even impose an influence on genes, is more powerful on early human development. Children can be reared better by receiving good education, professional training, suitable care and harmonious surroundings. 
 

References  
Atkinson, R., Atkinson, R. C., Smith, E. E., & Bem, D. J. & Nolen-Hoeksema, s. (1999). Introduction to psychology (13th ed). Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace College Publishers. 
 
Gesell, A. (1941). Wolf child and human child. Oxford, England: Harper. xvi, 107 pp. 
 
Hughes, C., Happé, F., Taylor, A., Jaffee, S. R., Caspi, A., & Moffitt, T. E. (2005). Origins of individual differences in theory of mind: From nature to nurture? Child Development, 76, 356-370.