Nature: the influence of inherited biological characteristics on human behavior
Nurture: the process of training or influencing a child through learning
Culture: all the learned behaviors, beliefs, attitudes, values and ideals of a particular society or population
When we talk about Human Nature, we're talking about habits and abilities that can be traced back through the history of the human kind back to our primitive ancestors. These traits have been used for centuries in order to help us survive and cope with changes in our habitat and lives. Many scientists believe that these habits are part of the reason we behave the way we do.
Picture a new born baby as a brand new computer. They're the most updated version you can get. Their software is basically a digital version of human nature, and based on the tools they're given, that's how they function in reality. This is the NATURE part of your makeup. As you may know, over time your computer's hard drive fills up with pictures and documents, maybe even games. These represent your memories and outside influences such as culture, religion, and people you meet. Now because you have all these different experiences, it's also going to change the way the computer runs, make it faster, slower or more efficient. All these things are what's called NURTURE.
Now, there is a big debate between Anthropologists, Sociologists and Psychologists about which one has a stronger effect on who you are as a person, and who you're destined to become. Many have dedicated their lives to try and answer the question of where one draws the line between what actions are caused by nature or nurture.
Margaret Mead is a well known anthropologist who studied gender roles, and how human nature affected them. She believed that our roles were not determined through our genetic makeup, but rather the culture we grew up in. She did a study of three different tribes and compared them to one another to try and prove her point.
The first one she studied was called the Arapesh, and the way their culture functioned was by equality. Both men and women were treated as equal, and the children were raised with warmth and love. As they grew up, they viewed the world in a trusting manner and knew that aggression was not acceptable.
The second one she studied was called the Mundagumor. Their society treated the children harshly and let them fend for themselves for the most part. This made them grow up believing that others were potential enemies and they were hostile and aggressive.
The final tribe she studied was called the Tchambuli. They believed that women were superior and men were below them. when women would go out to hunt, men would stay and look after the household. She found that the women created a cohesive group, where as the men were excluded from religious ceremonies.
She came to the conclusion that masculinity and femininity were not determined by gender or genetics, but by the culture you were brought up in. She believed that some parts of our personality was from nurture influencing our human behavior.
Deep stuff huh? Here's a picture of Margaret Mead with a bird to numb the dull throbbing of your brain for a bit.
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