Nature vs.

Nurture (Monica Won)

1. An age-old question of whether humans are inherently good or bad is still in rotation
today. If a child were to be in danger, a man or woman without thinking would, at once,
rescue the child. However, children from an early age will, without former teachings, tell
little white lies even though parents try to teach them to do the opposite. Were they
conditioned to perform these acts? Or were these actions simply innate. The nature stance
of the debate is that people are who they are because that is the personality they were born
with and that they are merely being themselves. The nurture wing of the debate is the view
that people are who they are today because of the environment they grew up in.
Socialization, which is the process by which people grow accustom to their societys norms,
morals, and manners.
Mongolia was under communist regime for many decades and as a result Mongolians are
accustomed to taking what is not theirs without guilt or remorse. They are accustomed to
the belief that everyone collectively owns everything together. However, in American
society, there is an unwritten and generally understood rule not to take other peoples
things. If it is not yours, you do not take it. These two societies differ in their beliefs of
ownership of property. It is not frowned upon for Mongolians to take something, which is
not locked down or chained. However, Americans understand to not take things even
though items are left unguarded. This is an example of nurture. An example of nature is an
individuals choice of preference of being left handed or right handed.

2. Self, according to Charles Horton Cooley, is an individuals personality and ones unique
identity that is developed as a result of social interactions with others.
Looking glass self is the three step process by which we create a sense of our own self and
the actions we commit to. First step is how we may imagine how others view our actions.
Second, the way we believe others will judge our actions. Lastly, we conclude who we are
based on how others judge us. George Herbert Mead differentiates I and me. Herbert
argues that I is whom the individual wishes himself to be; perhaps more free from of the
opinions of others. Me is the individual who is created by social interactions. In essence,
the me dictates the behaviors of the I. Significant others are the individuals by whom
one identifies all his or her actions around. The opinions of the significant other is
frequently advised and considered before an action is committed. Three stages of self-
development, according to Mead, are language, play, and game.

3. The dramaturgical approach is how individuals attempt to control or change how others
view the individual. The front stages have to do with approaching the observers or viewers.
Back stage is where all the activities necessary for approaching the audience is happening,
such as ones psyche, motivation, or judgments. Social behaviors revolve around how others
will perceive that individual. If an act is frowned upon by a society, the individual will stop
that act. As a result, if someone is meeting another for the first time they will attempt to
make a great first impression and work on presenting themselves in the desired view.

4. Agents of socialization include family members, teachers, colleagues, friends, bosses, and
religions. I believe that schools have a vital influence on gender role of socialization in
school, for students to understand how to interact with others of their own gender. School
is a collection of students trying to find themselves and as a result they are very sensitive
to the judgment of others. Students will alter their actions to fit in to the norm of what is for
girls and what is for boys. Technology has both benefited and cause great detriment to
individuals on the Internet. Benefits include proper conduct, ease of communication via
internet, and perhaps better fashion. But negatives of technology are that humans no
longer know how to interact face to face with others. With the advances in technology,
society and its interactions have changed drastically. Bullying is no longer just physical; it
has now followed victims to their homes where they are bombarded with public, virtual
humiliation.