Human Behaviour Is Learned Rather Than Based on Instinct Essay

This argument can be discussed also using the nature vs. nurture theory, it has been studied widely and there is evidence to support both sides of the argument. The nurture theory argues that human behaviour is the way is it because they were taught that way or grew up in that type of environment. *[1] ’Children raised in healthy, positive environments are more likely to grow into productive successful adults than children raised in negative, threatening environments.’ *[1] http://www.ehow.com/info_8337653_two-sides-nature-nurture-debate.html#ixzz26C7cfhp The nature theory argues that human behaviour is often based on their genetics. It’s argued that human behaviour is the result of inherited traits that people are born with. Even though a person would have experience and learnt things from other people, his/her nature or characteristics would not change. Some people might say we do not have ‘free will’ because our destinies have already been determined by our traits. A child may have a positive upbringing but genetics may show that the child may always be violent no matter what type of upbringing he/she has. Gender is a good example of nurture, although gender is determined by genetics, some people say that acting in appropriate ways for our gender is learnt. Boys are taught at a young age to generally be more masculine by playing competitive sports such as football or rugby. Girls are generally taught to be more feminine, by staying at home and learning how to cook and not participating in rough sports but to be more sensible. There also may be cases where girls have been more masculine and boys more feminine, but either way they have been shown how to behave rather than instinctively knowing. In later life boys or someone more masculine could do well with aggressive jobs such as lawyers, and girls or more feminine people could do well with jobs like nursing where sensitive qualities are needed. People are also different due to their social class, children will have different upbringings due to however many opportunities are available to them. Upper class children are more likely to have more open opportunities such as better colleges and universities, where as a child in middle class will have less opportunities due to lack of money or status.