Nature versus nurture

Nature versus nurture is a shorthand expression for debates about the relative importance of an individual's "nature" versus personal experiences ("nurture") in determining or causing physical and behavioral traits.

Various contexts and issues

A wide variety of human behavioural characteristics may find their way into these types of debates and frame the scope of particular debates. These include personality, sexual orientation, gender identity, political orientation, intelligence, and propensity for violence or criminality.

Related Topics:
Personality - Sexual orientation - Gender identity - Political orientation - Intelligence - Violence - Criminality

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These various types of nature versus nurture debates tend to be viewed as sensationalistic or oversimplifications of legitimate scientific research, and a misuse of that research for political reasons. Controversial public issues often arise from over-generalisations of specific and incomplete scientific research. Science journalism, the medium for popular science, has always been problematic with scientists when it attempts to make the news of small, incomplete, and perhaps even insignificant developments into headlines which draw public attention.

Related Topics:
Public issues - Science journalism - Popular science - Headlines

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