Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Nature vs. Nurture

  • Reference work entry
Encyclopedia of Child Behavior and Development

Synonyms

Nature-nurture controversy; Nature-nurture issue

Definition

The debate over the extent to which development is influenced by a person’s genetics or a person’s environment.

Description

This controversy involves the question whether human behavior is predominately due to nature (heredity) or nurture (environment). Nature includes inborn biological information received from one’s parents at the moment of conception. Nurture involves complex factors from the physical and social world that influence before and after birth. Those who stress the importance of nature point to the commonalities in growth and development across cultures. People typically progress through similar stages of development, from infancy to adulthood. Supporters of the nature perspective recognize that extreme environments can retard development, but also contend that basic developmental patterns are genetically programmed into humans. However, there are those who emphasize the importance of nurture in...

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 949.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 549.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Bee, H. (1999). The growing child: An applied approach (2nd ed.). New York: Longman.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Berk, L. E. (2007). Development through the lifespan (4th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Poole, D., Warren, A., & Nunez, N. (2007). The story of human development. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Santrock, J. W. (2009). Life-span development (12th ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Educational Psychology and Leadership, Texas Tech University, MS 40171, Lubbock, TX, 79409, USA

    Leah E. Johnson & Kyle A. Litchfield

Authors
  1. Leah E. Johnson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Kyle A. Litchfield
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Leah E. Johnson .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Neurology, Learning and Behavior Center, 230 South 500 East, Suite 100, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84102, USA

    Sam Goldstein Ph.D.

  2. Department of Psychology MS 2C6, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, 22030, USA

    Jack A. Naglieri Ph.D. (Professor of Psychology) (Professor of Psychology)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

About this entry

Cite this entry

Johnson, L.E., Litchfield, K.A. (2011). Nature vs. Nurture. In: Goldstein, S., Naglieri, J.A. (eds) Encyclopedia of Child Behavior and Development. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-79061-9_1917

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-79061-9_1917

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-387-77579-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-0-387-79061-9

  • eBook Packages: Behavioral Science

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation