The debate concerning the factors influencing personal development can be characterized as one of the most heated and long-lasting ones in psychology. Undoubtedly, both nature and nurture have a large impact on adult physical, cognitive, and psychosocial development. This essay provides particular examples demonstrating the impact of nature and nurture on adult development.
First, speaking about the influence of nature on adult physical, cognitive, and psychosocial development, it is important to note that inherited physical parameters considerably affect an individual’s abilities, felicities, and powers (Mossler, 2013). For instance, the physical appearance of a person (including the color of hair and eyes, the form of the nose and lips, etc.) is largely determined by the genes. Also, it is more likely that intelligent parents will have a child with outstanding mental abilities. Similarly, a person’s psychosocial features including temperament develop under the influence of inborn nerve system and psychosomatics. To illustrate, depending on the type of one’s nervous system, a person can be emotional and outgoing or reserved. These inner qualities of the character will affect the way other people accept the person in their society.
Next, addressing the impact of nurture on adult physical, cognitive, and psychosocial development, it should be stated that the characteristics of a personality depend on the environment the person is developing in to the greatest extent. For instance, according to Berger (2000), children born in problematic families such as the families of criminals, which have been separated from them and educated in accordance to the exalted moral principles, will become deserving members of society.
In conclusion, both nature and nurture have an important role in adult physical, cognitive, and psychosocial development. However, numerous research studies done through decades identify that nurture appears to be the main factor influencing the development of a personality (Berger, 2000).
